


Two Roads Diverged

by toughgirl06



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Betrayal, Character Death, Clone Wars, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Manipulation, Falling In Love, Forbidden Love, Love Triangles, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Universe Alteration
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2018-12-21 05:35:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 76,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11937408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toughgirl06/pseuds/toughgirl06
Summary: It is a question that people ask themselves all the time. "What if?" What if things were different then how would they be? What if things had not gone quite as according to plan as someone might imagine? What if Padme Amidala had never gotten off the ship of Tatooine and instead a deeper friendship with a handsome young Jedi began to develop? What would it have changed? Anakin’s feelings are still very real. Will it be happiness or will this love triangle bring the Universe down to it's very knees?  Dare to imagine and lets go down the rabbit hole together. Rating is for later chapters.





	1. Down the Rabbit Hole

**Author's Note:**

> Hello ladies and gentleman!
> 
> This is the first fanfic that I have done in many years so it is certainly interesting as I get back in to the habit of doing so. Just a few things to note with this piece of fanfiction. Just note, guys, that somethings will be changed around and shifted but I will try my best to stay as believable as possible. I am only one person and so I will make mistakes but rest assured, your flames will be appropriately used as fatlighter to roast my marshmallows on. Second thing to note guys that I am changing around some ages of some of the younger main characters just because I do not feel up to writing kid porn. Since this will be an Obidala fanfic pairing I will be increasing Padme's age beyond the canon age of 14 to make things a little more "age appropriate". 
> 
> Please, all comments are accepted and encouraged. More comments provide motivation for future chapters. Please and thank you~  
> So, without further delay...Here is the first chapter. Read and enjoy!!!  
> 

Obi-wan could feel a frown etching itself even deeper in his features as he peered down at the control panel with it’s multitude of blinking sensors and screens. His fingers drummed lightly upon the edge of one screen in particular as it’s light slowly shifted from green to a lighter and sickening greenish yellow. There was a sense of impending dread as he watched the readings fluctuate as the minutes wore on.. At least the engines were working and Obi-wan was seeing fewer red alarms flare across the screens in front of him but he could only wonder how much longer their crippled ship would limp forward. They would be lucky to follow their hastily amended plan. The whirl of the door’s hydraulic motor drew the Padawan’s attention. He tossed cast a quick glance over his shoulder even as he habitually casted out a thin filament of the Force to determine the person approaching.

“How bad is the damage?” Came the quiet voice of one Queen Amidala’s handmaiden. Her brilliant red and yellow gown swirled around her as her light steps carried her through the door of the engine room to where Obi-wan studied the panels after the small Nubian craft had managed to slip past the Trade Federation’s blockade. Her small frame seemed to be swallowed up by the brilliant gown around her, so counter to the dark mourning clothes the Queen was wearing during the invasion, and she looked very young beneath the thick velvety fabric. All the handmaidens were roughly about the same age as the Queen and he could only hazard a guess as to what Padme’s true age was. The little blue and white repair droid that had saved the ship rolled along behind her and let out a curious whistle as his optical eye absorbed the Jedi’s posture as the young man straightened and regarded the new comers. The astromech droid certainly looked better after having his outer shell scrubbed clean. Nevertheless, a keen eye from the Jedi in training could pick out small signs of stubborn soot that refused to leave some cracks and crevices no matter how the Handmaiden had scrubbed.

_Padme_ … Obi-wan recalled the Queen calling her over to clean the droid after they had managed their escape. Padme was a nice name in the Jedi’s opinion. They had not had a time to formally introduce themselves but the Padawan was proud on his ability to catch small details.

The young man could feel a deep chested sigh building before he let it out slowly even as his hand reached for his chin by habit as he leaned back in the swiveling chair. “As bad as we feared. I am trying to starve off as much of the hyperdrive leaks as possible but we’re still hemorrhaging hyper-particles.” Obi-wan acknowledged as he stroked the strong line of his chin and could feel the stubble beginning to grow there. He had shaved that morning but that had been under the quise that the mission at hand would only be a trade negotiation. How things had changed within twenty-four hours. Even he felt a little breathless if he really sat and thought about it all.

It had been a tense few hours until they were sure that no one else was following them as their made their way to Tatooine. The disturbance in the Force still tickled the very edge of his awareness despite the cautioning of his Master to keep his mind in the moment and with the Living Force. He could feel his Master elsewhere in the ship and the slight tease of their intimate bond shared the information that his Master was deep in meditation, no doubt centering himself for their next move. It would take the ship another two and a half days to reach Tatooine. It was up to Obi-wan and the ship’s mechanic to ensure that they managed to reach the rust colored planet despite the failing hyperdrive. Even then, there was no guarantee that they would leave the planet after they landed.

The Padawan lifted his hand from his face and stroked his fingers through his short hair, his nails scratching against the back of his head as he thought about his next step. He was well versed in mechanics but he would have to refresh his memory on Nubian Cruisers. The schematics were all standardized compared to other Cruisers but there were still some minor variations. Even as he thought there was no missing the intense look of thought on the young woman’s face as she focused upon the monitor by his left hand. She seemed to know exactly what she was viewing as her soft features hardened and she appeared several years older than she really was. “Your name is Padme, if I am not mistaken.” Obi-wan said softly and all at once the intense look was gone, replaced by a gentle if not teasing smirk.

“You’re not.” She said lightly even as the corners of mouth twitched up in slight humor and Obi-wan tipped his head lightly as she looked at him. “And your name is Obi-...”

“Obi-wan. Obi-wan Kenobi.” The Padawan supplied with a slightly humored lopsided smirk thus making him appear every inch the slightly cocky Jedi Padawan that he was. A soft smile touched Padme’s own lips as he looked up at her from where he sat.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Padawan Kenobi. We owe you a great debt for what you have done so far.” Padme acknowledged as the Jedi Padawan tipped his head slightly in to a slow nod as she spoke. He did not speak to rebuff her words and the weight behind them. It was not a Jedi’s way to keep ‘tabs’ or ‘debts’. They provided a service to the Republic with no thought of gain owed or received. Even still, despite the pleasantries, the reality of the situation weighed upon everyone in the ship. “I am worried for Naboo.” Padme said softly and Obi-wan eyes locked on her own as she spoke. “Why did this happen? The Trade Federation had no right...” Her voice did not waver but the Jedi Padawan could have been blind and still seen the veiled hurt and anger, all of it centering around the Trade Federation’s invasion.

“I do not know but rest assured my Master and I will discover the truth.” Obi-wan supplied even as his eyes flickered to the door where he saw the presence of the Gungan walk past. His long arms swung high as his equally long legs carried him down the hall in an awkward gait. The creature was more at home in the water as opposed to land, or even a ship for that matter. The Padawan would have been lying if he said that he wasn’t still upset with his master bringing the Gungan aboard or permitting him to travel with him. This was hardly the place for such a creature but he could not go against his Master’s wishes. A ‘life-debt’ was owed and he was hardly one to argue. Nevertheless, the Gungan was rather useless with all things considered. The Padawan could begin to see where ‘clumsiness’ could be a banishment level offense, at least on the level as Jar-Jar Binks.  

The roll of his stomach and the growl it brought forth a reminder of the hour. It was very late in the day now and the young Jedi could not recall at what hour he had last eaten. Last thing he could remember was the coffee in which he and Qui-gon had sipped at as they waited on the Trade Federation’s main ship that morning. That was before everything had gone to pieces and the true intent of the Trade Federation’s presence became known. Needless to say, many hours had passed since then. Hunger had been pushed in to the back of his mind during the Queen’s rescue and now that things had calmed down his body craved food. His thoughts carefully weighed his options. He had food pellets in his belt but if he had not eaten then neither had his Master done so or the Queen’s company. He could not speak for the entire ship but probably no one had really thought about food since early that morning.

“Are there any cooks onboard?” Obi-wan asked Padme who blinked in confusion as she tore her eyes away from the consoles to focus upon the Jedi Padawan. He watched as her lips repeatedly pressed and puckered as she thought. They had fled with minimal staffing and so it was no surprise to him when she finally shook her head no. “I am going to try and make some food. We have a chance to collect our strength right now so we might as well take it.” He said as he swiveled the chair around to stand.

“I am not very hungry.” Padme acknowledged as she looked up at him despite him only being half a head taller than herself.

“Perhaps but it would be welcomed, regardless. It’s been a better part of the day since anyone on the ship has had a chance to eat or eat including her Highness. Fear of capture or certain death will dull hunger pains but only for a short while.” He said as he shoved his hands in to the thick folds of his sleeves. “There is nothing more that can be done here until a full diagnostic is run on the hyperdrive which will take time.” The astromech droid whirled a note of agreement as his mechanical head swiveled on its base which drew Obi-wan’s attention.

“I suppose you are right.” Padme noted after a few seconds of thought. Artoo let out a delighted whirling trill as he about-faced and rolled out in to the hallway as Padme and Obi-wan followed him. The young Handmaiden was the one to show Obi-wan the small galley where the kitchen was. It was hardly large enough to fit more than two people but the size of their ship was not large in and of itself so Obi-wan kept himself being surprised. The ship was not designed for long trips and was a diplomatic craft.

They had been lucky to escape the blockade at all considering their ship did not possess any offensive capabilities.

Obi-wan allowed himself to become familiar with the different compartments and pulled out pouches of dried soup mix, as many as he required to feed the crew, and programmed the ship’s computer to re-hydrate them after he had placed them beneath the appropriate hood. He wordlessly watched the computer as it inserted a fine needle through each cap and filled each pouch with the appropriate amount of water. He could fill Padme at his side and he turned to look at her through the corner of his eye only to see the tiredness and stress upon her features as she watched the computer work same as him. When she realizes that he was watching her she immediately took steps to hide her weariness. “How old are you?” Obi-wan asked offhandedly as he took the pouches out and shook one to mix it well as Padme took another in her hands. The soup pouch was warm in his grip as he waited for her answer. An eyebrow rose in mild curiosity as a result.

“Eighteen.” The young woman spoke slowly as if to question his intent. A soft snort was her answer as Obi-wan reached for another pouch as he shook his now empty hand to cool his overheating skin.

“You were very brave, earlier.” Obi-wan noted with a slight smirk, “As were the rest of your Handmaidens and the Queen, not that I would expect anything different. Not many Monarchs would have voted to stay with their people in the face of such strife.”

“The Queen was voted into power by the people of Naboo. She owes an allegiance to them. You have no idea how hard it was to leave the planet for her.” Padme said defensively as her body stiffened slightly but her words lacked any measurable amount of bite, only determination. Obi-wan felt his smirk evolve in to more of a smile at her guts. It was refreshing. He had seen too many worlds filled with corruption as a Padawan but it was planets like Naboo that gave him hope that things were possible.

“Let’s get this food to her Highness. I am sure she would be appreciative.” He noted as he gathered the packs in to his arms as soon as they were all mixed. Both he and Padme then began their walk around the Cruiser and handed out the pouches of warm soup to everyone until Obi-wan’s arms were empty save for three pouches. He handed one to Padme before he turned and began his way in the opposite direction of they had been walking when they had served the last crew member.

“Where are you going?” Padme asked innocently as she followed him. Obi-wan did nothing to stop her and even encouraged her by keeping his gait slow so that she could keep up without overexerting herself.

“To the cargo bay,” Obi-wan admitted and smiled when he saw Padme’s confusion.

“But there is nothing in there,” She acknowledged as their steps carried them closer to the cargo bay. “Oh…” She said softly as she realized her error, “Is that where Master Qui-gon is?”

“It is,” The ship itself was not a large one but it was large enough for the hand full of people that it contained. It wasn’t overly cramped but there was very little space in which to stretch out in. It all made sense when the hydraulic doors to the cargo bay opened. Qui-gon Jinn creaked open an eye to watch both Padme and Obi-wan enter before the Padawan extended the second to last pouch in his possession, “Here, Master. Thought you might need this.”

“Thank you, Obi-wan.” Qui-gon remarked as he took the hot pouch in to his hands and let it rest on his knee as he watched as his Padawan quickly became comfortable upon a crate before turning his attention to the young woman as she lingered there, “And thank you, miss. You and the rest of your people upon this ship have shown incredible bravery.” Qui-gon remarked as he broke the seal of the pouch and was welcomed by the smell of soup from within.

The handmaiden drew in a deep breath herself, “It isn’t easy, Master Jedi.” She noted only to see Qui-gon blink slightly in concession to that fact.

“It very rarely is.” The Jedi Master agreed, “ It takes a strong person to admit as much.”

Padme nodded slightly as her eyes roamed the small interior of the cargo bay. There wasn’t much there, just a handful of extra supplies, a small extra wardrobe for the Queen, and other odds and ends. “I will leave you, then.” Padme said as she turned slightly and placed her hand upon R2-D2’s metal cranium. “Come on, Artoo.” She coaxed which the droid crooned lightly. There was a pause as she turned back to look at the two Jedi and the two men responded in kind by looking to her with knowing expressions. She didn't have to say it but she said it anyways. “I just want to thank you Jedi for...for everything.” She said softly and the gentle exhale of breath from her could be seen as both Jedi dipped their heads in acknowledgement.

Obi-wan rolled his shoulders slightly and straightened his back as he settled in to a comfortable position despite the hardness of the crate beneath him. Qui-gon took a sip of the soup and made a note of appreciation before he spoke. “Your mind troubles you, Obi-wan.”

“This entire situation is odd, Master.” Obi-wan replied as he turned to his own pouch and broke the seal before setting it off to the side to cool slightly. Qui-gon tilted his head to the slightly in agreement as he continued to eat his meal.

“Agreed.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

The heat of Tatooine’s sands was visible even from the cockpit windows as they came out from the slow atmospheric burn. The light was oppressive from the two suns as the ship turned and made it’s way to the desired coordinates within the Hutt’s territory. Obi-wan saw nothing but sand and rough stone outcroppings as they flew across the planet wide desert. Even the glimmer of what seemed to be water was only a mirage brought on by the light. Why anyone wanted to settle this barren wasteland was beyond Obi-wan’s comprehension. Despite that, Tatooine was their only option. It could very well be their saving grace or their grave.

The high pitch whine of the hyperdrive increased as they neared the spaceport of Mos Eisley until it was almost a fevered pitch. As they turned to landed upon their final approach, there was a sickening sound followed quickly by a sharp metallic smell in the cockpit. Obi-wan internally groaned and felt the last bit of steerage go out of the ship’s controls as it settled upon the ground. The dash in front of his hands threw up brilliant colors of red and yellows as other alarms began to ring in the engine room. The ship was all but dead beneath them. An audible sigh escaped from him before he turned and stood out of the cockpit chair. “I’ll go check on the hyperdrive, Master.” He acknowledged as his Master moved to allow him up.

“Good thinking,” Qui-gon noted with a bit of a nod as he leaned over Panaka’s shoulder to gaze at the screen of Mos Eisley. As the doors slid open, Obi-wan was greeted with Padme’s intensely concerned features. He squeezed past her with a dip of his head but he did not stop. He had no time for pleasantries and it showed in the Force. His skin all but crawled with the disturbance of the Force. The bitter and metallic smell of a burned out hyperdrive didn’t help with things and he briefly put his sleeve to his mouth as the mechanics quickly tried to flush the room with fresher air and ventilate the space. As the ship’s mechanics pulled up the schematics he could already tell that the hyperdrive was beyond saving. “Come on, let’s get it up.” Obi-wan said with a sigh as the mechanics unscrewed the floor plates that sealed the hyperdrive below. The smell of burnt circuitry was overwhelming as the last of the plates were removed and the crew worked to bring the large piece of fried machinery to the top level to view the damage.

Fried was perhaps an understatement as to the condition of the hyperdrive as Obi-wan finally got a good look at it.

“We need access to this panel. It’s the only way we can remove the old hyperdrive.” The crew technician frowned as he tapped the severely scorched panel with a gloved hand. Obi-wan scowled as he looked at the panel and it’s singed edges. The overworking hyperdrive had all but fused the panel to it’s side and Obi-wan felt his shoulders sag slightly with the realization that their mission had gotten only that much harder. It would have been one thing to fix the hyperdrive but another one to replace it all together.

“It’s going to be hard to get the plate off.” Obi-wan noted with a frown as he picked up a screwdriver tool. “Here, let me.” He pressed it against the appropriate place and began to work on it. It took several long minutes before any measure of progress was accomplished due to the plate’s badly damaged state. Obi-wan had to work with both the Force and his physical strength to pry the panel off. As the panel ripped free, the Force blared it’s alarm to Obi-wan and the Padwan could do little beyond lifting a gloved hand to protect his face. He was barely fast enough. All he could feel was the blistering heat of superheated coolant upon his skin.

Obi-wan could hear himself screaming.


	2. Going Left Instead of Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What will Qui-gon do? His Padawan is gravely injured in a freak accident. Now he must some how ensure their safety as well as take the steps needed to repair the ship. What will the Jedi Master do? Stay with his Padawan or do his duty to save Naboo?
> 
> Please remember to leave reviews if you enjoyed the chapter. Reviews provide fuel for uncooperative muses.

Qui-gon could feel his stomach rising up in to his throat as he rushed through the narrow passageways of the ship. He had been in the cockpit when a disturbance tore through Force with such a ferocity that he almost physically felt a reaction to it. Instinctively he had reached out for the thread that connected him and Obi-wan only to feel the young Padawan’s agony. It was then that he heard the screams. The lift’s doors were almost too slow to open and the Jedi Master forcibly pushed through the small group of gawkers that had gathered in the passageway in front of the engine room. The small space almost could not fit all the bodies and Qui-gon was not entirely kind as he forced his way past. The Jedi’s hands physically moved a crewman to the side as he forced himself forward.

The sharp smell of coolant hit him in the face and stung his eyes.

The state of the engine room was a mad house despite only seconds passing since the disturbance in the Force. Pools of hot coolant gathered on the floor at the base of the burned out hyperdrive and sent foul smelling wisps of steam in to the air. He saw Obi-wan's crumpled form between the legs of the crewmen as they worked to pull his saturated clothes from his body. His face was as white as a sheet and his eyes were half lidded as they clawed at him. Qui-gon lunged for Obi-wan's still and unconscious form only to hug him to his chest as he all but dragged his dead weight to the corner where a shower head hung from the ceiling. A crew member pulled hard on the lever as they entered the space.

Freezing cold water gushed from the shower head with a roar and immediately soaked everything beneath it in a torrent. Qui-gon felt his Padawan's limp body in his lap as water poured over them and pressed a hand against Obi-wan's neck to feel for a pulse. It was there, slow, but it allowed Qui-gon to release some of the tension that coiled within his chest. His Padawan was injured but alive. A small breath of relief escaped from the Jedi Master as he began to remove Obi-wan's clothes. Crew members helped to remove the young man's boots as Qui-gon undid his belt and cast it to the side only to rely on the Force to guide his hands when his eyes could not. Water filled his vision as he pushed the fabric away from his Padawan's injured form and simply cradled him close as the water continued to soak them both.

“He has to stay under there for fifteen minutes.” A crew member spoke to Qui-gon as lifted a hand to Obi-wan's pale face and covered his eyes with his calloused fingers. “We are running a full diagnostic. Those coolant lines were supposed to drain upon the hyperdrive being lifted….I am so sorry, Master Jedi.” The man said softly.

“It was an accident,” Qui-gon admitted while he carefully pulled layer upon layer of the Force around Obi-wan's limp form and pushed him deep within the Force's embrace in a meditative trance. It was the only way for Obi-wan to regain his strength in his state. This accident was ill timed but unavoidable. However, Qui-gon was proud of his Padawan's quick reflexes and knew that things could have been much worse. The coolant had soaked the entire left side of his chest and his arm, but he had managed to protect his face and the exposed flesh of his neck.

The Jedi Master did not look forward to seeing Obi-wan’s injuries once the water stopped. Yes, the superheated coolant had not landed upon his bare skin but had been trapped by his clothes. How bad would it be? The thought worried him as he listened to Obi-wan’s ragged breathing in his ear as the minutes wore on. The water that soaked both Jedi Master and Padawan learner was ice cold and Qui-gon could feel his body responding in kind. Tremors settled in to his lips and threatened to chatter his teeth as he hugged his Padawan close and balanced Obi-wan’s head on his shoulder to keep his mouth and nose free of the water’s cascade. It was only when the crewmen reached for the lever a second time to stop the shower did anyone get a good look at Obi-wan’s injuries.

Qui-gon felt his heart drop.

The severe burns marred the broad muscles of his chest across his shoulder and roped down his left arm where it stopped just shy of his elbow. Skin had blistered and cooked beneath the coolant soaked threads. The metallic smell of burned flesh greeted Qui-gon’s nose and turned his stomach. If Obi-wan had been hit in the face it could have potentially killed him. A horrified gasp drew his attention away from his Padawan to the face of one of the people who crowded the door. It was the same handmaiden whom he had seen with Obi-wan the previous day only this time she was no longer wearing the bright red and yellow robe but instead was wearing inconspicuous clothing unlike the rest of the handmaidens. Qui-gon would have put more thought in to her choice of clothes but he did not have time to waste right then. He looked at her as individuals of the crew advanced to help him with Obi-wan. “Do you have any medical training?”

“All the handmaidens have first aid training,” Panaka supplied before Padme could answer.

“Then can I entrust my Padawan to your care? Will you take care of him, Padme?” Qui-gon Jinn asked as his intense eyes searched her face only for her expression to tighten in seriousness.

“I will take care of him.” Padme said only for Qui-gon to nod before he gathered his Padawan and carefully carried him to the crew’s quarters down the hall with aid from another crewman. Obi-wan’s face was grey as his Master settled his unconscious form upon the small bed that was recessed in to the wall. Qui-gon took great care as he pulled a pillow beneath his Padawan’s head and rested a hand upon his forehead as he tapped in to the Force’s strength. He had placed Obi-wan deep in to a meditative trance to spare him the pain of his wounds and the chance to heal but danger still lingered in the air. They were still hunted and now the Queen was without one of their Jedi protectors. The agony that Qui-gon had felt through their shared Force bond still throbbed in the back of his mind. It was no surprise to him that Obi-wan had fainted from the sudden pain. Few others would have been able to stay conscious through the ordeal.

Using the Force, he moved to place a phrase trigger in to Obi-wan’s subconscious so that he might return if danger appeared too close. Qui-gon questioned how much his Padawan could handle in his state. He leaned close only to whisper the words into Obi-wan’s ear. He almost questioned the need of him to depart. He could stay and helped to heal Obi-wan while also guarding the Queen. He knew that he couldn’t stay but it never stopped him from pondering the thought.

Time….They just needed time....and they had none.

Qui-gon moved out of the way as Padme and two other handmaidens moved forward with the few medical kits that they had managed to retrieve from the corners of the Nubian Cruiser. They all worked with a determined purpose as they donned gloves and began to smear thick bacta upon his Padawan’s wounds. A soft sigh built itself up within Qui-gon’s chest before he exhaled it through his nose as he lingered by the door with Panaka who had followed them in to the quarters.

“We will need more medical supplies in addition to what we need to fix the hyperdrive.” Panaka frowned as he watched the young women work with a practiced grace. The Jedi Master agreed with a small noise in the back of his throat as he shoved his hands in to the folds of his tunic only to feel the soaking wet threads. He dripped a small puddle beneath his feet from being submerged beneath the shower with Obi-wan. “I thought you Jedi were supposed to be able to sense when something is about to happen.”

“I felt it through the Force. There was little time to react beyond covering his face. I doubt anyone could have anticipated the coolant lines rupturing. Things could have been much, much worse.” He observed only for Panaka to softly agree, “I have put Obi-wan in a trance which he can be drawn out of should you need him. I will give you the release phrase before I leave. The longer he remains in the trance the better.” The Jedi Master instructed as he lifted his hand to Panaka to accept Obi-wan’s utility belt. He removed the communicator from within it’s place and leaned forward to sit it by Obi-wan’s head. “Keep this next to him at all times. I will contact you as soon as I reach Mos Eisley. I will bring along the astrodroid seeing as how he will have a readout of all the parts and medical supplies that we need.” Obi-wan noted as he looked to Panaka only to catch a sharp movement from Padme as her head snapped up at the indication of him leaving.

So she had been planning to come with him after all...

“Take Rabe with you. She can help.” Padme instructed as she looked up from her work at the Jedi Master. Qui-gon could feel the slightest tilt of his eyebrow raising up in mild surprise. He looked deep in to Padme’s face now that it was no longer shadowed by the heavy velvet fabric of her robes. Her rich brown strands were pinned back delicately in braids to keep her thick mane of hair out her face. They exposed her features and made her appear slightly more...regal...She was unfettered and less confined compared to her subdued handmaiden facade. Qui-gon knew that the handmaidens were far more than what they appeared to be and the same applied to Padme herself.

She looked spirited...and true spitfire...

“Very well,” Qui-gon said conceded, “We leave in fifteen minutes.” He said as he raised a hand slightly only to see a little relief to show across Padme’s eyes.

“I will go tell Rabe to get ready,” Panaka noted before he departed. Qui-gon could feel himself linger at the doorway as he watched the handmaidens bandage Obi-wan’s injuries while taking great care to thickly apply the bacta without further aggravating the torn flesh beneath their fingers. Padme must have been observant because Qui-gon watched as she looked up at him with a concerned expression.

“He will be aware of you despite his state. Give him...encouragement.” Qui-gon softly noted as his eyes lingered upon his Padawan’s grey complexion. The young man’s wet hair lay plastered to his skin and he watched as a bead of water rolled down the strong cords of his neck. “I will not be able to lend him my strength from so far away. I have done the best that I can but he needs time. Take care of him.”

“I will do my best,” Padme said as she looked to Qui-gon as the Jedi reached for a blanket upon a shelf before unfolded it in his hands. He tucked the blanket tightly around Obi-wan’s lower half.

“That is all that I can ask for,” Qui-gon noted before he slowly stepped back, “I will be in contact.” He repeated again before another step back followed. It was a painful process as Qui-gon forced himself through the door of the crew’s quarters and down the hallway. He knew what his mission was and what his duties were. He could only trust that the Force would work in their favor and Obi-wan would heal quickly. There was nothing else that he could do in that moment.

Qui-gon double checked his utility belt for the things that he did and retrieved the astromech droid from the engine room where it was helping to run the diagnosis test for the ruined hyperdrive. The droid tweeted it’s compliance as it retrieved it’s projected arm in to it’s main body cavity after it had downloaded the needed supplies from the ship’s log. The sound of it’s wheels echoed on the hollow loading ramp and it was then that Qui-gon saw Panaka standing at the bottom where the chrome metal kissed the sands. “The trigger phase is ‘I have need of you’.” Qui-gon supplied as Panaka looked up at him as he descended the ramp.

“Are you sure that you leaving us is wise? Your Padawan would be of little help to us if we were attacked while you are gone.” Panaka asked pointedly thus echoing one of Qui-gon’s many concerns. The Jedi blinked at the heat as it wafted off of the desert surrounding them and began to pull the moisture out of his clothes. The damp fabric against his skin suddenly felt comfortable in contrast to the interior of the ship where the cool air conditioning chilled his skin. He wouldn’t have too long before all the moisture evaporated from his clothes leaving them as dry as the sands beneath his feet and just as hot.

“We have little choice.” Qui-gon said as he shoved his hands deep in to the folds of his cloak. “Obi-wan will awaken if he senses an impending attack. He is well trained and will know what to do. If you need him before that point, just use the trigger phrase, and he will come to.” He said as he heard footsteps behind and saw Rabe coming down the ramp. The young woman looked remarkably similar to that of Padme to a point where Qui-gon almost had to take a second look to ensure that it was indeed Rabe and not the other handmaiden herself. The handmaidens all looked like they could have been related due to their shared features with the Queen.

He had passed a similar thought earlier when Padme had been called upon to clean the astrodroid two days prior. Perhaps things were more than what they appeared.

“Ready, Master Jinn.” Rabe said softly, her voice a gentle sigh as she looked to the Jedi with a waiting gaze. He had a bad feeling about this…


	3. Playing the Pauper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is Chapter Three.
> 
> I am probably going to start making the chapters a bit longer as we advance through the story but I wanted to establish some of the base character's feelings and their reasoning behind their actions. Please leave comments. It only takes a moment of your time and they are greatly appreciated. Leave predictions of what you think will happen in the next chapter, what your favorite part was, or just say hi. I don't bite that much.
> 
> Enjoy!

Padme felt a huge sigh building in her chest as she watched the seemingly unconscious form of the Jedi’s Padawan learner. He had not moved since Qui-gon had placed him on the bed and had not uttered a sound as they cleaned his wounds and bound them. The young woman reached up to adjust the oxygen mask that had been placed over his nose and mouth when the sound of the door opening caught her attention. “How is he?” Panaka asked as he looked at the young man.

“Eirtaé found some bags of IV fluid in one of the medical bags which seem to be helping. His vitals are looking a little better but his blood pressure and breathing are depressed. I am not familiar enough with Jedi when they meditate so I am not sure what I should be ignoring and what I should be looking at. ” Padme replied as she sat down on the small stool and pulled the medical datapad in to her lap to look at his vitals. The grayness of his skin bothered her and she resisted the temptation to check his burns. The risk of infection was very high and she worried about complications from the coolant. The chemical shower should have flushed it all out of his wounds but she could only hope that they had cleaned his wounds thoroughly enough. The coolant would fail his kidneys if any of it had been absorbed in to his body. Would Obi-wan be able to heal himself from that?

Padme rubbed her hand across her forehead in worry as she thought. There was so much that she did not understand and she did not like the idea of being stuck on the ship. It had not been her plan to stay. She had intended to go with the Jedi Master to Mos Eisley but that had been before Obi-wan had gotten injured. She hadn’t thought too much about fighting Qui-gon when he had asked her to take care of his Padawan while he was gone. She trusted Rabe but there was some measure of regret within her. It was small but quickly fading as she watched Obi-wan sleep. She did feel slightly responsible concerning his state. Perhaps if she had made a move to speak to him as they had passed it might have given the hyperdrive a chance to drain the coolant lines. They were all here because of her so regardless of what happened Padme knew that she was responsible for it.

“We received word from Master Qui-gon that they made it to Mos Eisley.” Panaka said softly but something in his tone made Padme turn to look at him. The Captain looked disturbed as a deep scowl pressed against his dark features. Padme’s silence urged him to continue but he did so slowly and deliberately, “We do not have enough Republic dataries to repair the ship. It seems as though the only parts dealer that has a Nubian hyperdrive will not honor our currency. Qui-gon asks if we have anything aboard the ship that we might could barter with.”

“How much will we need?” Padme asked as she set the datapad off to the side and made a move to rise. 

“Thirty thousand.” Panaka replied only for Padme to make a choking sound of shock and dismay. For a brief moment Padme felt ill and she rested a hand against the side of the wall to brace herself. “I told the Jedi that this was a bad idea.” The Captain stated bitterly, “I had a feeling that something this bad would happen. First one of our Jedi protectors become injured and now we are stranded on this forsaken rock. We should have tried to land on another planet.”

“And we would be in the same position there as well.” Padme noted as she gathered herself, “I am going to go to the cargo bay. I need to see if we have at least something to barter with. Anything will help at this point.” She acknowledged with a frown as she looked down at Obi-wan. She took a brief moment to push a strand of short wayward hair off of his forehead and brush it back. It was soft between her fingers and now dry from the shower hours earlier. “I know that the Queen’s wardrobe has some pieces of jewelry that might be helpful.” She said as she turned and walked past Panaka who nodded his head slightly. 

“I’ll let Eirtaé knows to meet you there.” Panaka stated softly as the door swished open with a hiss. Padme didn’t say anything as she turned and proceeded down the narrow hallway to the cargo bay. The cargo bay itself was very warm, almost hot, from the hours that it had been exposed to the desert air so that the crew could stretch their legs outside and escape from the cramped quarters of the ship. Some of the crew had never been off world to a planet like this and were fascinated by the planet’s desert surface but fascination quickly grew in to detestment when the heat of the desert only increased to an unbearable level. Padme greatly missed the cooler Nubian air and waterfalls. This planet was far too hot and dry for her taste.

A carefully folded bundle of brown fabric caught her attention upon one of the containers and she realized that it was one of the Jedi’s outer robe. She picked it up and knew at once that it was Obi-wan’s. The dark rusty red fabric was soft in her hands as she examined it and brushed her fingers across it. He must have taking it off prior to going to the cockpit to help land the ship or so she assumed. He had not been wearing it before and so it had escaped the accident. The young woman could only wonder if the extra layer could have protected the Padawan learner more than what his tunic could have. She had seen the burns, cleaned them, and knew how bad they had been. Her stomach rolled at the memory. He must have been in so much pain when it happened. What about now?

Without thinking Padme lifted the cloth to her nose and breathed in deeply. The scents within the threads were thick and complex, but masculine. She even dared to believe that she could smell some remnants of Naboo within those fibers. The worry of Obi-wan’s state gnawed at her as she slowly pulled the fabric away and carefully smoothed out the wrinkles that bunched the threads. She would have to remember it and bring it to him after she had gathered what items they could barter with. 

“You’re worried about him,” Eirtaé noted softly as she approached Padme from behind. The young woman allowed a soft but worried smile to pull at the corners of her lips as she laid a hand upon the folded cloak. 

“It’s kind of hard not to be. I shudder to think about what could have happened if it had been one of the other crewman. I don’t want to lose any more lives on this mission.” Padme said as she turned her head to look at her handmaiden. “Do you think we will make it to Coruscant?”

“We have to. We don’t have a choice. The devil is in the details.” Eirtaé noted as she walked over to the far end of the cargo bay where two doors lay recessed in to the wall. “You do have to admit though, he is kind of cute.” 

“Eirtaé!” Padme hissed softly at her handmaiden but she could feel the young woman’s teasing humor behind her words. She both hated and appreciated her friend’s attempt at lightening the mood. The stress of the entire situation would end up making her very ill if she did not make time to take care of herself. Her thoughts concerning the wounded Padawan were quickly replaced as they opened the secured storage container that hid away the Queen’s wardrobe. The recessed container was deceiving and Padme knew for a fact that it contained far more than what  it appeared it could. They emptied it all and spread it out upon the floor of the cargo bay. Dresses lay draped across containers while boxes of accessories were lined up from wall to wall and opened to reveal their contents. The floor was a cluttered but organized mess.

The other handmaidens came in to try and help them search. They debates with each other to determine how much a piece could realistically be worth. Padme slowly chewed on the corner of a protein bar as she eyed a heavy gold necklace with expensive jewels within Eirtaé’s hands as the young woman checked for markings within the clasp to determine if the piece was genuine. So far they had only come up with a few pieces that were and reality was beginning to sink in. They were not going to be able to pay for the hyperdrive with what they possessed. Padme knew that deep down in their gut that they wouldn’t even get half price for what the pieces actually cost when everything was all said and done. They would be incredibly lucky to even come close to making up a third of what Qui-gon needed to barter successfully. Padme hated to say it but she felt so useless. 

“Sorry, Padme.” Eirtaé said as she slowly put the expensive looking necklace into it’s original container thus indicating its rejection. The real necklace was probably back on Naboo within the royal wardrobe. Anything insanely expensive was reproduced for safety’s sake which meant disaster for their present situation. The Queen-in-hiding felt her shoulders slump as she chewed the last bit of protein bar before she went to open her mouth to speak. 

Panaka interrupted her as he came through the open door. His face was a stony mask but Padme knew him better than that. He was worried, more so than beyond their present situation. The stress bunched the flesh at the corners of his eyes and twisted the corners of his lips. “There’s an bad sandstorm brewing according to the ship’s captain. It’s advisable to remain on the ship.”

Everyone looked at each other with concern. That meant that both Qui-gon, Rabe, the astrodroid, and the Gungan were not going to be returning anytime soon.Would they be alright and would they find shelter? Padme looked at Panaka again and saw the deepening frown, “Captain, what is it?”

“There’s a message from home.” Panaka said slowly and Padme could feel a cold chill ripple across her skin as if someone had dumped a bucket of water over her head. Everything in the cargo bay stopped and it was as if no one dared to breathe. Padme realized that all of their attention was on her to see what her reaction would be. Padme collected herself and allowed her back to stand taller which lifted her chin up. Panaka nodded slightly and turned on his heel to return to the ship’s throne room as Padme turned to her handmaidens. 

“Store everything away and put aside what we can barter with. We will radio Master Qui-gon later.” Padme announced before she followed Panaka. With every step she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. The ship seemed to small in that moment because it was only half a minute later that she arrived at the door to the throne room. What was the message about? Who was it? What was it? She braced herself for these things before she entered and walked over to the Queen’s side and placed herself slightly behind the Queen’s chair before the Queen nodded slightly to the crewman who stood ready by the control panel. Padme was mindful to carefully keep her hands by her side and her face passive to reflect her handmaiden persona. 

Inside she was screaming as she watched the message.

“Captain…” The Queen spoke softly as she looked to Panaka for help. The dark skinned man bowed his torso low over his lap where he sat and threaded his fingers together. It was a long moment or two before he spoke. 

“I know what the Jedi would say and I would have to agree with them. We have to go on under the assumption that this transmission is bait to establish a trace. There is no way to know if Governor Bibble has been captured or if that message was of his own will. We can’t independently confirm or deny who else was in the room with him. Anyone would say anything if they had a blaster to their head.” Panaka said slowly and Padme could see the knuckles of his hands bleach out as he spoke. 

“Send no reply, then.” Queen Amidala spoke as she looked to the crew, “We must indeed follow Captain Panaka’s words. Send no transmission of any kind. We will wait until our Master Jedi returns and proceed from there.” She said as her eyes lingered upon each man present. They all nodded to Queen Amidala’s words but Padme could see the struggle across their faces and she could feel the twitch of it across her own. 

Were her people really drying?

Padme felt her feet carry around the ship after she had spoken long and in depth with her handmaidens. Her heart was heavy and she could feel it weighing upon her shoulders. Her stomach rolled as she ventured from the cockpit that she had just visited so that she could feed the crew that watched the sandstorm outside. The storm itself was dying and had almost finished the height of its battle and it’s rage would be dimmer until it fizzled out completely. Padme could not wait. She needed to stretch her legs and get some fresh air. She felt ill...nauseous even. The food packet was warm in her hands as she walked to the crew’s quarters where Obi-wan rested. 

When the doors opened she saw...no change...Obi-wan had not so much as moved in the hours that she had been away from him. She had sent others to check in on him as the sorted through the Queen’s wardrobe but nothing had changed as far as she could tell. She unclipped the portable medical monitor from her belt and set it in a nearby cubby with her unwanted food pouch as she sat down on the edge of Obi-wan’s bed. She watched warily as his half bare chest rose and fell with each shallow breath. Was he really aware of her like Qui-gon said? “I wish you could talk to me right now. Some of that good ol’ Jedi wisdom might help right about now. Things are looking a little desperate right now...” She commented as she stared at her hands and the long nails that decorated the ends of her hands. The pad of one thumb slid across the painted nail of the other thumb as her thoughts lingered on Naboo. 

She felt ill the longer she sat there. Her body begged to move but her tiredness bid to her be still. The sound of the door sliding open with a hiss made her start and she let out a small breath of relief when she saw her friend and youngest handmaiden Saché. The young girl stepped forward and extended a bundle of fabric to Padme with a soft smile. “I finally managed to get the smell of coolant out of his clothes, Padme.” She said softly, her voice barely rising above a hushed tone. Her eyes drifted over to Obi-wan’s features and Padme felt the slight tug of a smile at the corners of her mouth as she took the clothes and the boots that were extended to her.

“You’re not going to wake him by talking.” Padme noted as she took the Padawan’s clothes in her hands. She kept herself from feeling surprised at the thick feel of them. The young woman could tell that they had been stiff once upon a time but years of wear and tear had left them soft but even still. “Will you go fetch his cloak from the cargo bay? I left it there from earlier.” 

“Of course. The others are going to go outside for a few minutes since it’s starting to cool off a bit and the sandstorm is over. The Queen is beginning to feel a little claustrophobic. She hasn’t had a chance to stretch her legs yet.” Saché replied as she dared to raise her voice a few octaves but her voice was still quiet. Padme nodded her head slightly in understanding, “Do you need me to do anything else, Padme?”

“No, that’s it...unless you want to help me change his bandages. It’s about that time to anyways.” Padme offered the young girl and instantly could see the color creep in to the girl’s face as her eyes flickered over to the Padawan again though she obviously tried not to let her eyes linger there. Saché’s mouth worked slightly as she stammered a nervous reply and politely declined. Padme smiled and motioned with her head for Saché to not miss everyone as they heard voices talking outside the hall and recognized the Queen’s voice. She put the Jedi’s clothes at the foot of the bed where Obi-wan’s utility belt lay.

Padme was kind of glad that Saché had declined. She felt like she needed to be alone, anyways.Too many thoughts stormed their way through her mind and she needed some quiet to collect herself. An unconscious Jedi didn’t really count as company.

Saché excused herself and Padme sighed softly as she looked to Obi-wan where he lay. The slow rise and fall of his chest remained unchanged in all the hours that he had been laying there. The color of his face was unchanged but she thought the deep bags under his eyes had lessened slightly. The lines of stress at the corners of his mouth and of his eyes had not, however, and she resisted the urge to touch his features in the attempt to smoothen them away. He was far too handsome for his own good or so Padme thought for the uptenth time that day. 

Padme stood up and pulled down the medical bag from the bed above Obi-wan and set it down at his feet next to his clean clothes as she set about pulling out more bandages and bacta in order to redress her wounds. A quick count of the rolls of bandages made Padme’s heart sink. They almost didn’t have enough. She might could re-bandage him this time but there would be no clean bandages beyond that point. She felt her stomach clench tightly like a knot in her belly. What could she do? Could she delay changing them for a few more hours and try to see if the jewelry that they could barter with could buy some more? 

There was a sound that drew Padme’s attention. She had distantly heard the cargo bay door opening but this was a different sound. It was muffled but she could hear it echoing slightly through the ship. It was sharp like lightening but it wasn’t...it sound like...blaster fire.

Padme threw herself to her feet and ran to the door. It almost didn’t open in time and she braced her hands against it to keep herself from colliding with it’s unforgiving surface. It popped open and she ran desperately down the length of the ship to the door that lead to the cargo bay. The door opened as she neared and she was not prepared for the sight that greeted her. She caught Panaka as he staggered through the door with a bloodied and barely coherent Saché in tow. He pulled her along with one of her arms clenched painfully in his grasp as he raised his other hand to fire at the advancing figure. A horrible screech escaped from the robed creature as it crumpled and Padme felt the radiating heat of a laser bolt ghost by her cheek, nearly missing her but barely. 

“Get back! Get to the control room, hurry!” Panaka ordered as he half dragged Saché back and shoved her in to Padme’s arms even as he pushed them both down the hallway. “It was an ambush...No warning…” Another robed figure lurked through the door and shifted slightly to avoid Panaka’s aim. A crackle spat forth from the Tusken Raider’s gun and scored a hit. The dark haired man crumpled as the bolt cut deep through his leg and his scream tore through the small hallway. His weight fell back onto Padme’s legs and sent all three of them falling in to the floor of the corridor.

“Panaka!” Padme cried as she looked up at the figure who angled the barrel at her as she glanced at Panaka’s discarded gun by her hand. Did she dare? Her heart pounded in her chest as she could feel the creature watching her...waiting...Padme made her choice and grabbed for the blaster only to see the bright flash of the Raider’s rifle. 

Padme knew that she was dead even as her fingers closed around the grip of Panaka’s weapon to bring it up. She just had to accept it. The young woman knew that she was a quick draw but the creature was too close. No one could miss a shot this close...no one...She saw the bolt of colored energy flying towards her chest as if in slow motion as her arm was half raised to take her own shot. She could feel the squeeze of the trigger in her hand, the recoil of the blaster building, and she gritted her teeth in anticipation of the pain.

It never came.


	4. Sticky Situation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> This chapter is my longest yet and is more than double the average length of the first few chapters of this fanfic. I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and please leave a comment. It would be greatly appreciated. 
> 
> Cheers!

Too late.

Obi-wan was too late in waking up. He knew it. He could feel it in the air. It throbbed through the Force and turned his stomach. Why hadn’t he woken up earlier? He had no time to question it. No time to ponder the answers to questions he didn’t know yet as he wove his lightsaber around Padme’s body to reflect the deadly bolt aimed at her heart. He felt the bolt ricochet off of the plasma blade and he saw it fly back from it’s target back to it’s aggressor. The Tusken Raider shrieked as the bolt hit him in the chest even as a wall of unseen Force collided with him from Obi-wan’s extended left hand and sent the creature flying back in to the doorframe with a sickening crack.

The Padwan almost threw up as pain threatened to overwhelm him. It was only sheer discipline that he didn’t but that did not stop pain. It felt as if his entire chest and left arm were dipped in molten metal. Every breath was agony but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t stop. He couldn’t look to see if Padme or Panaka were alright. He couldn’t pause to stop the weak quaking of his legs. All he could do was rush forward.

Ironically enough, still in his underwear and barefooted.

The cargo bay door popped open and Obi-wan was quick to deflect a bolt aimed at his face from a Tusken Raider who saw him enter. The Padawan gathered the Force and slammed the creature hard in to the stack of heavy supply crates behind it. They teetered dangerously from the impact and Obi-wan helped send them falling upon the dazed attacker with a crash. A shrill and hooting cry from outside drew Obi-wan’s attention and he crept over to open bay door only for a bolt to ricochet past his face as he dared to poke his head out a little bit to see. When he collected himself again there was nothing.

In the soft light of Tatooine’s moons he saw nothing save for retreating figures in the distance over the last row of dunes that lead out in to the Wastes and the violent signs of a struggle at the base of the ship’s ramp. Knowing that the threat was temporarily over allowed Obi-wan to sag against the inside wall of the cargo bay to regain his strength. The hiss of the lightsaber dissolving and returning to the hilt sounded in the quietness of the cargo bay. All that he could really hear beyond that was the sound of the wind rushing in to the semi-enclosed area. Obi-wan felt physically ill from the pain as it lapped at him and his forehead began to form a cold sweat. “What...happened...here?” The Jedi ground out painfully through clenched teeth as Padme carefully stuck her head out in the cargo bay before she warily stepped out in to the open with Panaka’s blaster clutched in hand.

“An ambush or so Captain Panaka says. He says they grabbed the Queen and a few others.” Padme carefully supplied before she caught the sight of one of the crewman’s boots out from beyond the edge of a crate. Her expression turned sorrowful until she saw a toe move. Obi-wan felt her relief and was already making his way over at a slow pace before Padme got there and helped the bloodied crewman sit up.. “Easy there, we’ve got you.” Padme said softly as she wound her fingers tightly in the man’s vest to keep him from slumping over as dizziness tilted his world.

“I see.” Obi-wan said simply as he looked down at the man as blood dripped down his face. The Padawan closed his eyes and stretched his senses out as far as he could. The pain of his wounds made the practiced action difficult but he could feel no one outside of the ship. The Force throbbed with a new type of wrongness and Obi-wan lifted his hand to wipe the growing beads of sweat from his brow. Had the constant disturbance in the Force on Tatooine fog the disturbance of the attack? Was that why he was late in waking up?

Regardless, he had to go rescue the Queen.

Panaka’s temper exploded when he saw the young Jedi Padawan gingerly making his way back to the crew’s quarters even as one of the other crew members tended to his wounded leg. “Where were you!?” Panaka snarled out angrily only for his angry tirade to be stopped short with a sharp yelp of pain when the bandage was pulled tight around his thigh. Panaka quickly sucked in a deep breath before beginning again as he pointed an accusatory finger at the young man. Obi-wan did not ignore him and stood by the door to the crew’s quarters quietly as Panaka verbally berated him.  “Your Master said you would sense an impending attack and wake up. You didn’t! You didn’t and we were almost killed on your watch.” He hissed angrily at the young man who watched him quietly and accepted the blame.

Panaka wasn’t lying and he wasn’t exaggerating. Obi-wan knew that to be true. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t woken up sooner. The wounds that he had endured from the faulty hyperdrive still pained him but he knew that his Master would not have buried him so deep in the Force that he couldn’t easily wake.  “I have no answers for you, Captain. But I have to go now. The longer I delay in leaving, the more distance the Tusken Raiders put between us and them.” Obi-wan supplied softly as Padme walked up with a deep scowl marring her features even when Obi-wan turned to get dressed.

“I am going with you.” Padme stated as she followed Obi-wan in to the small room and watched as he grimaced slightly upon reaching for his clothes with his right hand.

“No, I need you to stay here.” Obi-wan countered as he carefully lifted his pants up and pulled them on. His left hand almost went numb with the pain and he gritted his teeth as agony licked at his mind. His breathing came out in sharp pants as he forced his fingers to work to secure the cream fabric around his waist. His fingers noticeably trembled as he reached with his right hand to pick up his tunics. Padme’s hand closed over his fingers as they touched the fabric and secured them in a tight grip to keep him from grabbing his clothes..

“You’re not listening to me.” Padme stated sharply as Obi-wan’s eyes looked to her in surprise. He had not anticipated her boldness and it caught him off guard ever so slightly.. “I am going with you. You can hardly move. How are you going to rescue the Queen in your condition?”

“Getting dressed was first on my list.” Obi-wan noted with a little dry humor but knew that Padme was right. He could feel the weakness in his body and a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face as he spoke. He knew very well that Padme could see straight through him. Obi-wan knew that it was Padme that had bandaged his wounds. He had been aware of her though details were glossed over. Time had meant nothing to him while he had been in his healing trance but there were some things that he had not missed. Padme’s watching over him and caring for him could not be forgotten. The intensity that she looked at him forced his resolve to cave. He needed help more than he would outwardly admit it. He could hardly move his left arm without severe pain. He felt his lips purse slightly as he thought before allowing a soft sigh to pass through his lips. “I don’t like the idea of you coming.”

“I would follow you even if you didn’t agree to my coming with you.” Padme countered as if sensing his resistance only for a slight tug of a smirk to pass through Obi-wan’s lips.

“I think I am beginning to understand you now, Padme.” Obi-wan said softly and he could feel her tight grip on his hand begin to subside as the words sank in. He grimaced as he straightened his back slightly and the resulting movement causing white hot pain to flash across his mind. They were going to have a difficult time with him in his present condition. “We need to move quickly.” Obi-wan acknowledged as he gingerly threaded his left arm in to the undertunic’s sleeve and gritted his teeth as he felt the fabric brush over his bandages. His burns throbbed as he moved and he was grateful for Padme’s help as she lifted the overtunic so he could slid his arms through it before securing it around his waist using his utility belt. His lightsaber quickly found it’s clip as Obi-wan shoved his feet in to his worn boots. “Meet me outside as quickly as you can.” Obi-wan ordered softly and Padme was quick to leave the room to grab what she needed to.

Obi-wan walked to the cargo bay where he allowed himself a moment to focus before walking around slowly to gather as much information about the altercation as he could. He reclaimed his discarded robe as he did so and worked on putting the pieces together. He carefully examined blaster damage that decorated the walls and some of the crates that the crew had taken cover behind. He did two or three laps around the small area before venturing his way outside of the ship but not before scanning his surroundings. It wouldn’t have been wise considering what they had just gone through. He strained his eyes and relied upon the Force to read the marks in the sand. He touched the grains to outline a heel print in the sand as he examined the next. He managed to work out the scenario in his head but he didn’t like what he saw.

The Queen and those with her had been ambushed for sure. It had been a total surprise. The unfamiliar terrain had helped to hide the aggressors. The Nubian crew had only been outside for a few minutes when it happened. They had all been standing around , probably talking among themselves, when the attack occurred. Obi-wan could tell the later part by the way one crewman’s footprints were balanced only to be disturbed by a sharp twist of their toe as they pivoted to see the oncoming attack.

But why?

Obi-wan felt a frown teasing his features as he crept forward gingerly, cradling his throbbing left arm against his stomach, as he followed the first few steps that lead away from the area. A total of four people from the ship had been captured. The Queen, her handmaiden Eirtaé, and two crewman had been abducted but not without a fight. One crewman had sustained serious injuries from the struggle and the they would have taken more if they had been able to. Obi-wan’s appearance and interruption resulting in the death of two Raiders caused the others to flee with their captives in tow.

Obi-wan felt a headache brewing at his temples. It pounded at his skull in time with the beat of his heart and it made his mouth taste like cotton. He was badly dehydrated. The burns were taking a lot out of him and he reached deep through the Force to hold himself together. He had to get the Queen back. There was no choice in the matter. Qui-gon was working hard to fix the ship and he was failing to keep the Queen safe. It was a reality that left a bitter taste on his tongue.

The Padawan almost didn’t hear Padme come down the ramp as he paced back and forth to get his bearings. She was already dressed for the desert but with her she carried a small backpack with what Obi-wan could only guess was supplies. She had a blaster strapped to her hip and an extra water canteen in her hand for him. He knew it should have lasted their trek but regardless, he opened it and downed the entire thing. He could see Padme’s eyes widen as he took great greedy gulps of the cool liquid inside. He didn’t care. He was in pain, dehydrated, and there were many more hours of work that had to be done before he could rest and even then that was not guaranteed. He finished and twisted the cap back onto the canteen before he handed it back to Padme. He could feel his breathing hitch slightly but he was beginning to feel a little better. Not near as cotton mouthed as before. “Let’s go.” The Padawan said softly as he pulled his earth colored cloak around his form and started marching forward.

Padme fell in to step behind him as the daylight dimmed. They were guided only by the moonlight and stars above. Tatooine’s air began to cool as soon as the last of the sunlight was gone and it was only an hour or two before before the hot sands beneath their feet cooled and stopped giving off it’s radiant heat. After that it began to get cold until Obi-wan could just barely begin to catch wisps of fog escaping out between his lips. He periodically checked behind him to look at Padme to see how she was holding up. She was doing pretty well by his standards which surprised him. He pushed them at a grueling pace despite his own weakness and she never complained. Instead her face was set in to a grim line and her eyes burned fiercely in determination with every sinking step.

Obi-wan was beginning to find that he kind of liked this Nubian handmaiden.

“You’re going the wrong way.” Padme pointed out at one point as Obi-wan began to trek down the sharp sloping side of a rust colored dune. The shifting grains beneath his feet threatened to send him tumbling and he turned his head to look back at Padme. The action of doing so almost made him see stars as healing wounds pulled and snagged under his tunic. His eyes followed the extended length of her arm until her hand pointed out at the tracks that followed the dune ridge that looped away from their present location until the curvature of the dune itself blocked the tracks.

Obi-wan licked his chapped lips as he turned his head to look back at the path that he was taking before looking back at the dune ridge where Padme lingered. “We should go this way.” Obi-wan noted only to see Padme almost physically dig her heels in to the sand. If he had been anyone else, he would have followed the tracks that the Raiders had made but the Force pulled at him from a different direction. The dune would have been easier to follow instead of the rocky terrain that they were about to pass through but something just felt wrong. It felt like...like..a trap. “We don’t have time to argue.” He remarked, “You must trust my judgement.”

“How can you be sure that way is quicker?” Padme remarked pointedly and Obi-wan had no answer for her or at least one that she wanted to hear.

“I never said this way was quicker. I simply said that we should go this way.” Obi-wan said as he continued his way down the slope heedless of Padme’s resistance. “There is a reason why the Force is guiding us this way. Do you really think that a band of Raiders would leave such an easy track to follow and not take measures to slow their pursuers? The path is probably booby trapped at certain points.”

“How can you be sure?” Padme questioned as she fought the shifting sands as she followed the Padwan though she did so slowly to keep from falling. Her small feet were almost swallowed up by the sand and threatened to fill her boots with each step. It made the going difficult and she was tiring.

“I am not but it’s what I would do if I was one.” Obi-wan remarked as he set foot on solid stone at the base of the dune. He failed to completely hide a grimace of pain as he stopped and lifted his right hand to grab at his left shoulder. His wound had just begun to heal and every step jarred him and stole a bit of his breath. He was breaking out in to a sweat despite the cool air. A soft touch along his back drew his attention to Padme’s concerned features. All Obi-wan could do was force a lopsided smirk and pushed onward without saying much else.

The desert wind moaned softly as it drifted through the rock formations and the moons of Tatooine cast long shadows across their path. Night desert creatures ducked from one shadow to the next and Obi-wan watched them warily through the corner of his eye. There was a growing whisper of the Force that told him they were getting close but at the same time something told him that they were being watched as the ground beneath their feet grew noisier like they were walking on gravel.

No, not watched...stalked.

Padme seemed to feel it unconsciously because she pressed herself closer to him and kept her hand half rested on her blaster. Occasionally she would cast her eyes behind them only to find their footsteps in the sand and little else. “I don’t like this place, Obi-wan.” Padme muttered beneath her breath to him as Obi-wan noticed something in the sand.

“No, I don’t either.” Obi-wan said as he drew a long bone out of the sand from where it rested by a large boulder. It was a bone that looked suspiciously like a femur bone of a humanoid or at least that was what Obi-wan first thought and he suspected that he wasn’t wrong. He brushed his hand through the sand and found a boot covered in rags much like how the Tusken Raiders wore them. “I think we’re in a den of some sort. The sandstorm has hidden much of the den’s but we’re walking on bones.” Obi-wan supplied with a frown and stood as he drew out his lightsaber from his belt clip.

He sensed Padme’s rising panic but also...her grim determination. It was the same feeling she had when she had fired that blaster shot at the Tusken Raider. She was prepared to die to protect herself...no...him. Padme was prepared to protect him. That almost made the Padawan chuckle as he saw a stealthy form ooze from the darkest shadows of the rock formations to his left.

“Padme, get behind me, and as soon as I say so I want you to run to safety. This fight is beyond you..” Obi-wan whispered softly as he slowly turned his body to face the advancing beast. It’s armored body was hard to see even in the brightness of the moons and its colored edge along the shade of congealed blood which helped to hide it in the darkness. It’s horned head was huge and it’s long serpentine body hung low on four short but powerful legs. Obi-wan braced himself because he somehow the creature could move quickly. It did not rush to attack them but circled them slowly as if sizing them up. Padme could smell death coming off of the creature. It was a sick and nauseating smell that reeked of decay.

“What is it?” Padme questioned as she moved carefully to keep herself behind Obi-wan as they all slowly circled each other. The flash of a blue beam from Obi-wan’s lightsaber lit up the darkness and scared the shadows away from the Jedi’s face.

Obi-wan didn’t have time to answer.

As soon as Obi-wan’s lightsaber flared to life the Krayt dragon charged. Padme didn’t know if Obi-wan ignited his sword as he sensed the charge or if the creature charged due to the Jedi igniting his saber but all Padme saw was the creature’s great jaw open as it rushed at them with the full intention of crushing them between it’s foot long teeth. Padme did only do what Obi-wan had ordered she do. She ran.

Obi-wan was quick to leap over the krayt dragon’s head only to feel the rush of air as the creature’s mouth closed around empty air with a massive clash of teeth. The creature spun around faster than Obi-wan could have thought even as Obi-wan’s boots touched down behind it and Obi-wan threw himself to the side to evade a dangerous swipe of the creature’s tail as it landed hard where he had momentarily touched down. He would have been killed instantly if the blow had landed and Obi-wan felt himself almost overcome with pain as he extended both arms in front of him to catch his weight in a front handspring to fling him out of danger’s way. His body almost buckled as he felt the impact hit but it was only by sheer determination (and a bit of luck) that he didn’t. He regained his footing and skid to a stop only to see the tail flying at him for a second strike. He was barely able to twist his body to avoid the attack and every movement begged him to stop. The pain of his wounds made it hard to focus and even harder to call on the Force to help him. He could not gain the peace and calm of mind to pool the Force around him and manipulate it as he dodged the creature’s attacks.

All too quickly he found himself beneath the beast as it lunged for him and missed a second time. It was a dangerous place for him to be. Sand and dirt blurred his vision as he twisted to avoid the sharp talons as the creature clawed at him. He struggled to avoid being crushed by the back legs and torn apart by the front. It was a terrifying moment in which he almost lost his lightsaber as one of the creature’s back legs hit his arm and almost sent it flying out his grip. He tightened his fingers around the chrome grip and saw stars as the thick armored knee clipped his forehead. Blaster fire filled the air and Obi-wan saw the flashes of blaster fire coming from the sheltered curve of a stone pillar.

_Padme._

The krayt dragon roared in anger as the blasts glanced off of its armored hide along it’s side. It recoiled from the pain and locked its eyes on Padme as she aimed over the lip of stone. It rushed forwards and crashed it’s thickly armored head in to the stone pillar causing the entire thing to crack and break apart half a breath later.

Obi-wan didn’t have time to see if Padme had jumped to safety and out of the way of the falling rocks. He pushed his feet beneath him and made his legs work despite the pain in his face. His body was in a constant state of agony but he had begun to grow use to it in a way. He pulled his legs beneath himself and leapt on to the dragon’s back as it attempted to sniff out Padme in amongst the rock pillars. It screeched it’s fury as it attempted to twist in such a way as to dislodge the Jedi and break his body between its jaws. It’s teeth snapped dangerously close to his legs as it almost successfully caught him. Obi-wan was saved only by grabbing onto a chunk of scaley shoulder armor. He ignited his lightsaber and brought it down across the beast’s shoulder and scored a deep wound through muscle and bone.

The creature roared in pain and thrashed desperately almost dislodging him a second time. It was only the Force that kept him on the creature’s back as he readied a second strike. Desperate to be rid of him, the creature whirled around and threw its weight back solidly in to a stone slab. The stone buckled beneath the blow and Obi-wan felt his grip slip as sharp shards of desert rock pelted him. He jumped away to avoid the stones and so missed them but did not escape the blow from the krayt dragon’s tail. It hit him solidly in the back and sent him flying.

Obi-wan felt the blow land and his ribs shatter from the strike. The sands of the dune did nothing to soften his landing as he hit with a solid ‘whomp’ and rolled until he stopped. The blood that dripped from his face from a cut across his brow blurred his vision as he lifted his eyes from the sand where he lay sprawled face down in it. The creature looked to him and snapped its jaws angrily as it stalked forward, dragging it’s front leg. A flurry of blaster fire peppered the side of the creature’s head from the left and the creature screamed at Padme as she tried to work her way to his side.

 _Enough of this…_ Obi-wan mentally thought as he pulled threads of the Force together. He just needed strength.

The krayt dragon charged…

“Obi-wan!” Padme half shouted as she saw the attack happen. With a solid heave off herculean effort Obi-wan flicked his right hand and sent a solid wave of the Force in to the creature that sent it sprawling back. It’s huge body twisted and recoiled from the hit. The stone beneath it’s claws screeched as it dug its feet in to the sand and came to a stop in the corner of a cluster of stone pillars. It shook its head from the blow and hissed only to look upon hearing the great cracking of stone above it. The huge pillars surrounding the beast fractured and began to crumble before completely fracturing. Obi-wan’s hand lowered towards the sand and with a last heave of the Force brought the stones down on the dragon.

It was a few second later that the shrieking of the dragon and the sound of rock falling stopped. Obi-wan felt the disturbance in the Force fizzle out and he rested his chin in the cool sand as he closed his eyes as he allowed the threads of the Force to escape out of his grip. He was so tired…

“You idiot! You stupid, space dusted idiot. You could have gotten yourself killed.” Padme hissed at him. Obi-wan smirked slightly despite the blood that dripped across his lips as it made its way down his features.. He could feel her at his side as she holstered her weapon and looked him over. He knew that he looked in bad shape if he hadn’t before. He didn’t want to move. His ribs hurt and he knew that at least two were broken with every breath he took. Qui-gon wasn’t going to be very happy with him when they all returned back to the ship.

“Nah, peace of cake.” Obi-wan muttered as he forced his eyes to open and look at her. Her features were just as dirty as his though she appeared unharmed. That was a relief in and of itself. “That...was a krayt dragon…” Her big eyes stopped looking so angry as she turned to look at the giant pile of stones where the creature had last been prior to being crushed to death. “I didn’t think that they still existed. I thought that they had all died out centuries ago.” Obi-wan said softly as he managed to work his arms and legs beneath him before sitting back on to the sand’s surface. He took a dirty sleeve to wipe the blood from his nose and mouth though he was wary of bringing the sandy fabric too close to his eyes. He couldn’t see very well because of the blood as it was. He didn’t need to add more sand in to the mix. He spat out what sand he could from his mouth and visibly steeled himself before moving to stand.

His legs quaked in response of once again accepting his weight.

“I hope we don’t run in to more.” Padme’s voice sounded hopeful but exhausted. They were ill prepared for a second attack and Obi-wan wasn’t sure how he was going to be able to overcome the Tusken Raiders in his state.

“I don’t seem to sense any more in the area. We’re safe for now…” Obi-wan noted as they began to march in the same direction as before prior to the krayt dragon’s attack. It was slower going with Obi-wan’s injuries despite how he tried to push himself to keep the same pace as previously. There were times that Obi-wan had to stop to try and control his breathing to prevent the pain from overtaking him. It was at least an hour later when Obi-wan saw a light sheltered in a rocky outcropping. It was a small camp fire and it was hard to see. It was barely small enough to generate enough heat to fight off the desert’s bitter cold and provided only a little light. Obi-wan took a hand and laid it upon Padme’s shoulder before he motioned for her to follow him quietly.

They picked their way along until they were only a few hundred meters away from the fire. Padme pulled a pair of binoculars out and pressed them to their face as they lay upon the sand and peeked their heads out just enough to peer over the edge of the second to last dune. “There’s the Queen and the others.” Padme whispered and offered Obi-wan the binoculars. The Jedi’s face twisted up slightly as he pressed the binoculars to his eyes and moved the dial to zoom in.

“Yes, and four other Raiders.” Obi-wan noted sourly as he watched them. They sat with their backs to the fire with their faces out towards the desert. The captives were pressed against rock wall behind them and the fire was strategically placed outside of their reach. He could see their hands were bound and lashed together as well as a center post so that not a single person could escape without the others in tow. That made escape always that much more difficult when you had others with you. He tried his best to see if anyone was injured but he couldn’t get a good enough line of sight. The Tusken Raiders shifted nervously where they stood or sat and their blasters were pulled tight up against their bodies and never out of reach.

Obi-wan felt his eyebrows rise up as he teased the Force and cast a thread out in their direction to sense their feelings. They were utterly terrified of the desert...no...Obi-wan’s brow knitted together. They weren’t afraid _of_ the desert but what resided _within_ the desert.

“I can pick them off with my blaster.” Padme offered as she pulled out her gun but Obi-wan reached out a hand and put his fingers around her wrist.

“No...they are too good of a shot. As soon as you give away your position you’ll find your chest filled with their slugs.” Obi-wan said softly without looking at her as his eyes watched the camp. He narrowed his eyes in thought, “They’re scared.” He finally said out loud. “Not of us. They’ve kept the fire small to avoid drawing attention to themselves to keep from being found but they are itching to make it bigger...to chase away the shadows and…”

“The krayt dragon.” Padme observed softly,”Your battle earlier. They may have heard it from far off. The krayt dragon was roaring pretty loud. The sound could have traveled.” Padme said breathlessly and Obi-wan found himself looking at the young woman at his side. Her eyes were shining brightly with realization and he could feel the corners of his eyes crinkling up in humor. “They don’t know that you killed it so they still think it’s out here somewhere.”

She was right.

“Good thinking,” Obi-wan said as he gathered his knees beneath him to bring himself more in to a sitting position rather than being belly flat against the sand. He grimaced with the movements, the combination of new and old wounds were making it hard to breathe but he focused soley on what he had to do. He did his best to recall the krayt dragon’s roars. They would be hard to imitate in his condition but he would try. He folded his hands in front of his mouth and tugged at the the strands of the Force that he had the strength to reach. He pulled them in to his body, coiling them around his throat and pooling the Force’s strength in to his chest. The first deep breath to prepare himself almost choked him and the explosion of pain in his body almost broke his concentration and he felt the strands of the Force falter in his grip. He grimaced and bit the inside of his cheek to regain his focus. He had to do this.

The sound that exploded out of him was amplified by the canyon’s walls and echoed. Obi-wan’s chest burned but he brought forth another call but this time more aggressive, more insistent. He did not have the binoculars but he could see the small camp suddenly fly in to a flurry of motion.

“They’re scattering.” Padme breathlessly observed through her binoculars as Obi-wan splayed his hands out across the sand’s surface and struggled to breathe. Every gasp of breath was agony. His left arm felt numb from the pain. He felt so weak. He could feel himself shaking. Obi-wan felt the warm but slow trickle of blood from his brow as his features twisted and reopened the wound. He could not hide the grimace of pain as he desperately sought relief from his wounds. He poured what Force he could gather and funneled it through his body. He felt sick. “Are you okay?” Padme asked him worriedly and Obi-wan felt his face betray him as he looked to her. He wasn’t okay.

“We need to get back to the ship.” Obi-wan whispered softly to his new found friend and Padme nodded her head softly in agreement. The Jedi Padwan felt himself slow to stand but he carefully followed Padme in to the camp. The Nubian captives had hardly moved from their place where the Raiders had left them. They were exhausted, beaten, and had most likely resigned themselves to their fates whether it would be with the Raiders or to the animals of the desert.

“Padme! Jedi Kenobi! You’re here.” Eirtaé almost sobbed as she stood up and extended her bound hands to them. Tears were already falling down her bruised features and in the dim light of the campfire he saw that almost everyone had put up a fight of some sort. Even the Queen had been roughly abused and Obi-wan felt a deep regret lick at his insides. He could not bring himself to look at the swell of the Queen’s eye and lip, or how her carefully applied makeup had been almost worn away. Her dress had been badly ruined and ripped.

This was all his fault.

“Come on, we must get everyone to safety. We have a long way to go.” Padme said as she drew a knife and quickly cut everyone’s bindings. “Obi-wan…” She said as she turned to Obi-wan himself and the Padawan cleared his throat slightly.

“Follow the way that we came. I’ll follow behind and protect our flank.” Obi-wan ordered and he could see Padme hesitate before finally agreeing with him with a silent nod of her head. They pressed the Queen in the middle of the group with Padme leading the way, Eirtaé  behind her, and the two crewmen in front of Obi-wan himself who came behind last.

The trek back to the ship was long and slow, uneventful, and very quiet. No one had the energy to talk. The light of the sky was just barely beginning to change as they found themselves back at the ship. Captain Panaka was waiting for them at the base of the ramp with a blaster rifle at the ready serving as sentry if anything were to come up behind them last minute. The dark skinned man heavily favored his injured leg and Obi-wan was glad that the man felt well enough to stand. “Welcome back, your Highness. We’ll get you well  looked after.” Panaka said to the Queen as she walked up the ramp. There was no denying that there was a slight sway to her stride as exhaustion was catching up to them all.

“Of course,” Queen Amidala said softly as everyone followed her up the ramp. Well, almost everyone. Panaka edged his way in to Obi-wan’s path as the Padawan took the first step onto the metal ramp.

“We heard word from your Master,” Panaka spat slightly with the smallest hint of venom hanging off of his words. The Security Captain had no love for the Jedi in that moment and with good reason. Everything the Jedi had done had some how lead to failure of some degree. The only thing that had worked out well is that they had escaped the Trade Federation’s blockade. Nothing since then had worked out right. “Seems as though your Master is waging everything we have on a pod race this morning.”

“My Master is not the gambling sort unless he knows the odds are in our favor.” Obi-wan said warily and kept himself from flinching as Panaka slipped in to his space. He did not sense any danger from the Captain but there was no stopping the feeling of detest that emanated from the older man. There was a very real chance that they were all going to be stuck on Tatooine for a very long time.

“Pray you are correct, Jedi. I am tired of these games.” The older man hissed softly and Obi-wan said nothing before Panaka turned and limped back in to the ship. He caught Padme looking down at him from the top of the ramp with a curious expression on her face but Obi-wan could only shrug a shoulder though he instantly regretted the motion.

“Come on Jedi. We need to look after your wounds.” Padme coaxed with a gesture of her hand. Obi-wan allowed a smirk to play across his features as he lifted his right hand to grip his left elbow as he took the first few steps up the ramp. His smirk softened as he reached to where Padme waited for him. “You seem to have horrible luck.”

“I still have all my limbs intact.” Obi-wan countered only to hear her softly snort and saw the roll of her eyes. “Look to the Queen and the others first. I will wait until they are tended to.” He offered and saw Padme’s eyes soften as she peered up at him. “Their injuries are of my making. It would make me feel better if you saw to them before me.” Obi-wan explained softly.

“You didn’t strike them.”

“No but our medical supplies are low. Please, Padme.” Obi-wan asked as he looked down at the young woman as she thought. He could see her thinking and saw where she had made up her mind. She gave him a sidelong look of mild displeasure when she knew that he was right. “We should know if a few hours if Master Qui-gon will be successful. We will probably hear from him before lunch time.”

“You have that much faith in him? Is he that good of a podracer?” Padme questioned as Obi-wan walked with her slowly through the belly of the ship back to the throne room where it had been converted slightly in to a medical bay.

Obi-wan felt himself laugh although it hurt and he was forced to only chuckle. “My Master is probably not the one participating in the race. He honestly is a bad pilot. I am usually the one flying whatever transports we use during missions. Its always been that way.” The Padawan said with a bit of a smile. Padme stopped up short and Obi-wan turned to look at her only to see her panicked features.

“Are you telling me that our fates are probably tied up with a stranger that we don’t even know!?” Padme gaped in surprise tinged with a few drops of horror upon finding out this new bit of insight. Obi-wan tilted his head slightly to indicate what would have been a shoulder shrug. “The Queen will not approve.”

“We have little choice in the matter. We don’t know the circumstances but do not be afraid. My Master is a smart man. We must trust in the Force.” Obi-wan said softly as Padme lifted a hand to her head as if warding off a big headache.

“Ugh. The Force…” Padme muttered softly as she passed him, “I hope you’re right. I just want to get this whole mess with the Trade Federation done with. I want this war to be over.” She whispered just loud enough for Obi-wan to hear her.

“Me too, Padme. Me too.” Obi-wan sighed softly as he watched her back as the doors opened only to see the injured stretched out on thin blankets and what medical supplies they had were almost non-existent. He had a bad feeling about all of this. He reached for his Master through the their Force bond and felt it stretched thinly across the distance until it was barely wider than a hair and hardly distinguishable from the Force itself. How he wished his Master was there. He really needed some rest but he dared not to. Instead he left Padme to tend to the wounded as he took up a sitting sentry position in the cargo bay facing the closed bay doors. He made himself comfortable by allowing the span of his shoulders lean back against a storage crate. That was where Padme found him asleep an hour later with his chin resting against his chest and his hands folded loosely in his lap despite his intentions to stay awake.


	5. Brush the Dust Off

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> Just wrapping up the last little bit of house keeping before we really start getting in to the juicy stuff. Please enjoy the chapter and leave comments. I would love to hear your thoughts about what is going to happen next!

Qui-gon knew that something was wrong as he coaxed the Eopie beneath him to quicken it’s slow and leisurely pace. The desert was hot as the midday sun was rising up in to the sky and he could see tongues of heat rising up from the heated sand. He couldn’t see the shimmery chromed armor of the Nubian cruiser beyond the rolling dunes but he knew that it was there. Obi-wan was close. The strength of their bond was returning as the distance narrowed but something was off.

    Obi-wan was awake.

    The Jedi Master had felt Obi-wan deep in a hibernation trance when he had left a little over a standard day ago. Yes, they were hunted but Qui-gon had not been radioed to indicate there had been any problems...but there had been. Obi-wan was in far more pain now than before and that meant something bad. The severe third degree burns the Padawan had suffered had not had a chance to heal yet. It would have taken several days with intense meditation to repair the damage that had been done to him Qui-gon felt his stomach tighten with dark thoughts and he kicked his heels a little sharper in to the pack animal’s sides. The Eopie complained and barely made much of an effort to go any faster as it pulled the hoover sled behind it. Had the ship been attacked? Had they been tracked down by the Trade Federation? If they had then why the radio silence?

    The Jedi Master did not like the feel of the situation. A slight note of a disturbance played in the Force and it had grown in intensity as each hour passed. There was an undeniable sense of relief as Qui-gon saw the shine of the ship around the last dune. As he neared he saw the ramp descend and several crewmen come out to greet him along with Captain Panaka. The Jedi Master felt his eyebrows raise with a start as he saw the bandages wrapped around the older man’s leg and the limp that broke the solid stride of the man’s gait. “What happened here?” The Jedi Master questioned as he urged the eopie to lay down so that the crewmen could unhook the new hyperdrive from the creature’s thick harness.

“We were attacked in the night by some Tusken Raiders. Your student failed to wake up in time to prevent the attack like you said.” Captain Panaka noted sourly and Qui-gon felt a deep frown etch itself across his features. He wordlessly swung himself down off of the eopie’s back and felt his boots sink in to the Tatooine sands. He flicked the Force and felt his Padawan in a self induced healing meditation but he was quickly coming out of it now that he sensed Qui-gon near by. The cool of the ship’s interior was a welcome relief from the desert heat but Qui-gon didn’t stop to acknowledge it. Instead his eyes sought out the silhouette of his Padawan’s form. He didn’t have to search hard.

Obi-wan opened his eyes to look at Qui-gon as he sat upon a storage crate on the opposite side of the small bay. Qui-gon saw the moment a sliver of resignation hit Obi-wan as the Padawan raised his eyes to look at him before the young man’s eyes turned downcast. His Padawan was prepared for him to be upset with him. Qui-gon allowed himself to take a deep breath before he strode over to Obi-wan’s side and half rested his lower back against a neighboring storage container. He said nothing for a moment and allowed himself to study his Padawan both by the Force and with his eyes. There was little that escaped his attention.

Fresh bruising decorated Obi-wan’s face along his forehead and centered around a cut that had been scorred across his brow only a scant inch below his hairline. He saw the superficial abrasions of Obi-wan’s hands and the way that he severely favored his left arm. Intense stress lines pulled at the flesh around his eyes and mouth even as his color remained very poor. The thing that concerned him the most was the shallow breaths that pulled at his Padawan’s chest. Something was wrong. His Padawan could hardly draw a full breath in to his body. He sat far too stiffly for only suffering from his burns. “Want to explain what happened?I was not aware that there had been trouble.” Qui-gon told his Padawan softly only for Obi-wan to bob his head slightly in agreement.

“I don’t know what happened, Master. It all happened so quickly. There was no time.” Obi-wan said softly in a half veiled whisper to his Master. Qui-gon listened attentively although his eyes watched the crew sort through their new supplies. “I remember coming out of the trance. Everything was already in motion. The Raiders managed to take off with the Queen, one of the handmaidens, and two crew members. Captain Panaka and another crew member were wounded. I went after them with Padme’s aid and we retrieved them before they received serious injury.” The Padawan said softly as he looked to his hands and ran his thumbs across the minor abrasions on the tips of his fingers. Qui-gon watched his movements and allowed the Force to flow through him. He saw a careful omission on Obi-wan’s part.

“You were injured before you confronted the Raiders...more so than when I left you.” Qui-gon noted with a bit of a frown evident on his words.

“Yes, Master.” Obi-wan confessed and Qui-gon saw him bite his lip subtly, “We stumbled in to a krayt dragon’s den where we were attacked. The creature did not allow me to escape unscathed before the fight was over.” His Padawan noted and Qui-gon nodded slightly before he lifted a hand and extended it to Obi-wan’s back. His Padawan felt his movements and Qui-gon saw the painful clench in the young man’s jaw as his Master’s fingers lingered close to his back. “At least two ribs are busted, maybe more.”

“You bruised your lungs during the fight…” Qui-gon noted as his fingertips brushed the fabric of Obi-wan’s cloak as he used the Force to see. He could not see much since he was no Jedi healer  but it was enough. Through it he could see the wounds within his Padawan’s body both internally and externally. His student’s pain licked at him through their bond and threatened to become unbearable when his Padawan took too deep a breath. He was slightly medicated, only enough to take the worst of the pain away, but no more than that so that his mind was clear. “You did well, my young Padawan. The attack on the ship was not your fault. There was a disturbance in the Force when we first landed though I thought nothing of it after the accident with the hyperdrive.” Qui-gon noted as he pulled his hand away from his Padawan’s back, “It may have dulled your sensitivity to a new incoming threat.”

“I still should have been able to sense the attack coming, Master. It’s my fault the raid occurred.” Obi-wan stated only for Qui-gon to feel a slight smirk tease at one corner of his lips. Obi-wan never accepted failure and always pushed himself to be better. His Padawan was going to be a great Jedi, that Qui-gon knew for sure. Obi-wan was Qui-gon Jinn’s greatest pride and he knew that he could have never asked for a better Padawan. To think...years ago he almost didn’t take Obi-wan to be his Padawan.

“You returned them successfully, my young Padawan.You did very well for being in your state. I am proud of you.” Qui-gon said warmly and he saw a brightness come to Obi-wan’s eyes with the praise. “I leave the hyperdrive to you. Help the crew install it. We have all the essential parts we need. I have some unfinished business that I have to tend to. I won’t be long.” Qui-gon said as he shifted his weight to stand. He saw a look of confusion come over Obi-wan’s features before a slight tilt of a frown teased his Padawan’s own face.

“Why do I sense that we’ve picked up another pathetic lifeform, Master? We already have a Gungun.” Obi-wan noted as he watched the Gungun trip outside over his own two feet as he attempted to help the crewmen bring their supplies on board. The creature landed with a squawk even as he struggle to right himself. Qui-gon kept a shake of his head from manifesting at his Padawan’s brief show of immaturity.

“It’s the boy who is responsible for getting us these parts.” The Master Jedi supplied and he saw the slight flinch of Obi-wan’s features upon realizing his misstep.

“I will get the ship repaired, Master. It shouldn’t take long.” Obi-wan said softly only for Qui-gon to nod slightly. A note of approval escaped the older man as he folded his arms across his chest and looked around. The signs were subtle but he could see where the attack on the ship took place. The armored outside of the ship showed no sign of the attack itself but the inside was far more vulnerable. The Jedi Master could see scorch marks from blaster fire decorating the sides of the ship and some of the storage crates. They had gotten off pretty easy. The Raiders hadn’t killed anyone although they certainly could have done so.

The door to the rest of the ship opened with a hiss and Padme came out though she was now dressed once again in her handmaiden robes. The bright fabric was more brilliant from the light that came in from the open doors. “Thank you, young handmaiden, for looking after my Padawan.” Qui-gon said to the young woman as she came over and brought both Jedi something to drink. Padme smiled slightly and looked to Obi-wan while giving Qui-gon the side eye.

“Well, it wasn’t easy, Master Jedi.” Padme noted with a little humor and Qui-gon felt a smile tease at the corner of his lips. The two had been through quite an ordeal with the krayt dragon or one he could only assume. Obi-wan would not have let someone join him on a rescue mission unless he had been sure that they could hold their own. He more than likely owed the young woman Obi-wan’s life. Qui-gon tilted his head slightly in regard to the young woman as he accepted the water canteen. He took several deep swallows and was appreciative as the irritating tingle in the back of his throat subsided.

“Alright, I am off. Stay out of trouble while I am gone.” Qui-gon said with a little humor on his words before he departed and took the canteen with him. The eopie grunted lowly as Qui-gon reached it and held out the canteen with his open hand beneath it. The desert creature grunted excitedly as Qui-gon pooled water in to his palm and allowed the creature to drink with its truncated mouth. He emptied the canteen for the creature before handing it to a passing crewman. It was a moment or two more until he was saddled and once again making his way back to Mos Eisley to retrieve Anakin Skywalker.

The disturbance in the Force was growing.

Qui-gon felt ill at ease as he neared Watto’s shop with the eopie. Outside of the now bankrupt junk dealer’s store paced a very familiar Dug. Sebulba saw the Jedi Master coming and stopped his agitated pacing and instead tapped his energy against the dusty ground with his right ‘foot’. “ _I was hoping to run in to you, Offworlder._ ” The Dug growled as he traced a finger along a whisker and tugged at it slightly. The defeated Dug was itching for a fight.

“Yes?” Qui-gon asked although there was apart of him that he braced for some type of confrontation. The Dug radiated ill intent but it was not narrowed upon Qui-gon Jinn’s shoulders alone but instead was shared across anyone in Sebulba’s path. The Dug was not a nice person for any stretch of the mind.

“ _Watto tells me you own that pod that the little slimball won the race with.”_ The Dug replied with a slight click of his teeth. The Jedi Master tilted his head slightly in acknowledgement. He and Anakin had already agreed to sell the pod after the race when it would garner the most money. There was no surprise that Sebulba was hunting him down following the destruction of his own pod in the race regardless of whether it was his fault or not. He knew that Sebulba cheated for he saw it within the creature’s character. “ _I want it._ _Now._ ”

“What are wanting to pay for it? It beat you so it’s worth at least the race purse.” Qui-gon noted with feigned disinterest. He saw Sebulba bristle in agitation and the Dug spat angrily as he adjusted his weight. That was how the negotiations began. It took some time but eventually the Jedi Master and the Dug decided on a reasonable price for the pod though it was a little below what Qui-gon thought it was worth. He didn’t have time to  worry about the fine print. They needed to leave and quickly. They were still being hunted by the Trade Federation.

As Qui-gon neared the slave quarters of Mos Eisley he heard the sound of children hollering and shouting. They were congregated in to a thick knot but through their legs Qui-gon could see a familiar mop of dirty sun bleached blond hair. “What is going on here?” Qui-gon questioned. At the sound of his voice the children scattered thus leaving Anakin Skywalker sitting in the dust with his equally as guilty Rodian. Both were covered in red dust and the young human boy sported a developing bruise along the side of his jaw.

“He says I cheated,” Anakin supplied sourly as he sat in the dust. Qui-gon could see a spot of red at the corner of the boy’s lips but it was gone as Anakin took an tattered edge of his shirt and wiped it away.

“Did you?”

“No!” Anakin replied indignantly as he pulled himself to his feet with an aggravated huff. Qui-gon did not miss the daggers that were projected at the Rodian. There was a history between the boys and the Master could feel the tension between them. It wasn't the first fight that Anakin had gotten into with other children. He was slightly shorter than those of his own age but his lean stature made him appear all the more smaller which made him an easier target.

“You know the truth. You must learn to tolerate his opinion of you.” Qui-gon noted as he looked back at the Rodian through the corner of his eye. “Come on.” He noted and guided the boy by his shoulder away from the dusty street and towards the direction of Anakin’s home where he passed the stack of credits in to Anakin’s smaller hands before they entered the residence. “Here. The pod has been sold. These are yours now.” Qui-gon noted warmly only to smile as a huge grin pressed it’s across Anakin’s features. The boy gripped the stack of credits hard and looked up with amazed eyes to look at Qui-gon. The boy had probably only ever heard of the amounts of money that he was holding in his hand. It wasn’t too much but it was far beyond what he had ever known. Without a word the boy shoved his way in to his small home and zeroed straight in onto his mother’s presence with Qui-gon following.

Somehow Qui-gon’s heart felt heavy. He knew what he was about to do. He knew that Anakin would be better for it but it would be difficult. There were reasons why attachments were forbidden for a Jedi. It made decisions like this difficult for all parties involved. Qui-gon regretted that he could not free both Anakin and Shmi but the Force had made itself clear. Anakin would be a Jedi.

“Mom! We sold the pod. Look how much money we have!” The boy exclaimed as he opened his hands and showed his mother. Her face showed shock and surprise but quickly dissolve in to elation.

“He has been freed. Anakin is no longer a slave.” Qui-gon replied softly and he watched as disbelief showed across the boy’s face. The boy had never really thought he was ever going to be free of slavery, did he? The wideness of his eyes and the slack of his jaw indicated as much. It took him a moment to comprehend the words as if Qui-gon had spoken something besides Basic. Behind Anakin, Qui-gon saw the change in Shmi’s face. She knew how hard their goodbye was going to be for them both. She was prepared though. He saw the tightening of her features and the forced facade she quickly put in place as Anakin turned to face her for her approval.

In the span of thirty seconds the entire life as Anakin knew it was gone. In a span of thirty seconds he had to choose between his destiny and his mother. In a span of thirty seconds he made a choice that would alter the destiny of the Universe. The pain that reflected in the boy’s eyes as he turned to go to pack hit Qui-gon hard in the stomach despite the older man mentally preparing himself for such a thing. He knew that it would hurt in the beginning but things would get better. Anakin was the Chosen One after all.

“Thank you,” Shmi whispered to him softly as Anakin raced back in to his room to pack what few belongings he could. Qui-gon folded his arms across his chest beneath the covering he wore and took in a deep breath. How long had she prayed for her son to be free instead of living his life as a slave? How hard had she prayed?

“I will look for him, I promise.” Qui-gon noted as he watched Anakin through his bedroom doorway. Shmi’s grief pounded at him through the Force as he reached out a mental tentacle to tease the Force. Their time was running out but he had to move carefully. If he rushed than it would be all the more painful for both Anakin and his mother.

All too soon Qui-gon found himself leading Anakin out in to the desert after he and his mother had bid a final painful goodbye. The heat was oppressive now as it reached midday and the light off of the sands was blinding. A slight breeze had picked up across the dunes but it brought only more heat to them instead of giving any relief. Qui-gon felt a cottony sensation in his mouth as something in the wind began to change as they approached the ship. They could see it’s chrome sides glimmering in the sun.

They had officially ran out of time.

Qui-gon didn’t have to urge Anakin forward as the two picked up their heels as the Master Jedi stretched his senses out through the Force. The disturbance was all around them now and Anakin could feel it even though he didn’t know how or why. Qui-gon felt the rising fear in Anakin as his shorter legs worked harder against the packed sand. The distance to the ship was narrowing but something whispered at Qui-gon to turn around. Something dark…

When Qui-gon turned he felt a rise of fear as he saw a form barreling down towards Anakin with the sole intention of mowing him down. “Anakin, drop!” Qui-gon shouted as he slammed the weight of the Force behind his voice so that Anakin would not have even hesitated. Any measure of delay would spell his death. For a brief second Qui-gon feared Anakin had been struck the way that the speeder had flashed over the top of the boy with only a hair’s width of clearance between its underside and Anakin’s head.

Qui-gon’s lightsaber flashed through the air as he deflected a strike from the form that vaulted off of the speeder without stopping. The black cloaked individual clashed his red lightsaber against Qui-gon’s own in quick succession. There was a measure of relief as Qui-gon saw the silhouette of Anakin running to the ship over the attacker’s shoulder. “Tell them to take off!” Qui-gon shouted to the boy only to hope that the child heard him.

The Jedi Master felt himself pushed back by the ferocity of the unknown attacker’s lightsaber. The tattooed face of the assailant was twisted in to a grin of excitement as quick jabs of his lightsaber were barely blocked by the Jedi. Every twist of the lightsaber, every flick of a parry, every attempt to disarm the robed individual of his red lightsaber failed. Qui-gon felt the energy of the lightsaber come too close to his legs for comfort as he was almost late blocking a series of cuts that chipped away at his defenses.

 _If I lose...everyone is dead._ Qui-gon thought as he parried a blow as the wind helped to churn up thick clouds of dust around the fighters. He knew that Obi-wan would take up his lightsaber to defend the Queen if the assassin made it to the ship but his Padawan would die quickly. Others would follow. The Queen would be taken back to Naboo and made to sign the treaty before execution.

The roar of the Nubian ship above him made Qui-gon look up every so slightly before curling his legs beneath him as he called upon the Force. He narrowly missed a cut that would have halved him from shoulder to opposite hip. His feet found the ramp and he ducked his head to enter as it closed after him. In the dim light of the cargo bay he saw Obi-wan’s form ready with his lightsaber in hand should the assassin attempt to follow Qui-gon inside.

Qui-gon felt relief pour through his tired body as he killed the power to the plasma blade of his lightsaber as he fell back onto the cold floor of the ship. Every gulp of air shook in his chest as his body starved for it. The hot of the desert played upon his face as sweat poured off of his body. His mind was dizzy as he replayed the fight in his head. What had he just done battle with? Who?

“Master, are you alright?” Obi-wan questioned as he knelt by Qui-gon’s side and quickly overlooked his mentor for any injuries.

“I think so,” Qui-gon said as he searched himself for injury at the same time. His fingers came up empty for any wounds and he allowed his body to relax as he regained his breath.

“What was it?” Obi-wan questioned as Anakin entered the cargo bay and joined the two Jedi on the floor. Qui-gon lifted a hand and ruffled the boy’s head after a quick glance of the Force indicated that the child was uninjured.

“I don’t know but it was well trained in the Jedi arts. My guess he was after the Queen.” Qui-gon said as he began to feel a bit better and looked at Obi-wan who appeared deep in thought. His Padawan bobbed his head slightly and Qui-gon almost saw the twinge of pain as Obi-wan moved to hook his lightsaber to his belt. The look was quickly gone and Qui-gon felt a little sorry for his hurtin Padawan whose attention quickly turned to the young boy who had alerted them to the attack. Qui-gon could almost sense Obi-wan’s thoughts. _Was this the boy that won the podrace?_ “Anakin Skywalker meet Obi-wan Kenobi.” Qui-gon said as he gestured with a slight wave of a hand and the boy’s face immediately brightened as he turned to Qui-gon’s Padawan.

“Hi! You’re a Jedi? Pleased to meet you!” Anakin said as he seized Obi-wan’s extended right hand and shook it with enthusiasm. Qui-gon chuckled lightly as he looked at his Padawan who returned his Master’s gaze with a slight smirk of humor before the boy took a moment to look around him in amazement at the starship’s interior. Qui-gon surmised that Anakin had never been in a starship, or at least one that was still in good working order. “This ship is amazing!” Anakin noted as he stared up at the ceiling to look at the brilliant lights. Another chuckle escaped Qui-gon’s lips as he felt well enough to stand. Obi-wan followed with a grimace and hugged his right arm across his chest. The Jedi Master lightly laid his hand upon the back of Obi-wan’s right shoulder.

“Call for one of the handmaidens and have them fetch some of the new medical supplies from the containers,” Qui-gon noted  with a bit of a sigh.The Jedi Master knew for certain that they would not have had enough time to change Obi-wan’s bandages in the few hours that he was gone.

“Padme is well ahead of you, Master.” Obi-wan said as he tilted his head slightly in the direction of the rest of the ship which included the crew’s quarters. “We almost started before I felt the disturbance in the Force.” His Padawan noted as he half guided them to the crew’s quarters with Anakin staying close by Qui-gon’s side.

“Who is injured?” Anakin piped up in curiosity and Qui-gon smiled to himself as he felt the desire of the boy to help. Obi-wan smirked as he looked back at the boy as he stopped in front of the door.

“Me. I haven’t had a very good run of luck on this trip.” Obi-wan noted as the door slid open and Padme appeared with a concerned look upon her features as she quickly looked to the Jedi Master.

“I am unscathed,” Qui-gon noted warmly as he laid a hand upon Obi-wan’s uninjured shoulder and put the tiniest amount of pressure on his touch to urge Obi-wan forward and in to the room. “Obi-wan, how long did the computer say that it would take for us to get to Coruscant?” Qui-gon questioned as Padme sat onto the bed where she had prepared the medical supplies and Obi-wan sat down obediently.

“Four days, Master.” Obi-wan noted as Padme carefully helped to remove the Jedi’s outer robe before folding it and setting it off to the side as Obi-wan started undoing his belt. Qui-gon turned his eyes to look at Anakin Skywalker who had hopped up on the opposite bed only to see the young boy wide eyed and half staring at the handmaiden. There was a slight bit of confusion upon the boy’s features and Qui-gon felt himself chuckle. The boy had not been prepared to see Rabé’s double. The other young handmaiden had come with the Jedi Master during his trip in to Mos Eisley and had met the boy in Watto’s shop. The two had taken quite a shine to each other since there were only a few years that separated them. “Anakin Skywalker, meet Padme. She is one of the Queen’s handmaidens.” Qui-gon noted only for Padme to lift her face towards the nine year old and smile.

“It’s nice to meet you, Anakin.” She said softly as she carefully slipped Obi-wan’s outer tunic off after she had accepted the belt.

“Nice to meet you too.” Anakin spoke softly as if suddenly shy. Qui-gon and Obi-wan looked at each other and smirked slightly sensing the boy’s sudden bashfulness only for Qui-gon to feel himself grow more serious as he saw his Padawan’s bandages come in to view.

“How do they feel?” Qui-gon asked as the bandages were slowly unraveled. The air was suddenly very serious as Padme worked carefully. Her nail slowly worked beneath the bandages to separate them from the pads of gauze that covered his burns. The gauze was tinted blue by the amount of bacta that Padme and Rabé had applied the day before. The burns were extensive across the left side of his chest but only the very outer edges were visible when the top layer of bandages were gone.

“Painful, Master.” Obi-wan noted as Padme pulled a bowl of warm water in to her lap from the cubby where she had kept it momentarily. She looked apologetically from Qui-gon to Obi-wan as she slowly set about soaking the gauze so that she might could pull it free of the burns without causing his Padawan too much pain.

“How does his back look, Padme?” Qui-gon asked as he watched Obi-wan’s face and saw his Padawan’s expression relax as he pulled his mind away from the pain and in to the Force.

“It’s completely black with bruises. The krayt dragon struck him from behind with his tail. He’s lucky he didn’t snap his neck from the blow or the way that he landed..” Padme noted as she looked at Obi-wan’s face momentarily as she worked to see if she was hurting him before casting an eye over to look at Qui-gon who could only nod at her words.

A surprised noise escaped from Anakin and Qui-gon looked down to him with a slightly raised eyebrow. “A krayt dragon!?” Anakin gasped in surprise and looked up at Qui-gon in awe as he looked at his new mentor for verification. The Jedi Master smirked slightly and let a slight nod of his head be the boy’s answer. Anakin said nothing else but sat there in stunned silence as his gaze shifted to Obi-wan who sat there quietly.

“This was after Obi-wan doused himself in boiling coolant,” Padme noted as she peeled back a corner of a gauze slightly only to stop when Obi-wan flinch involuntarily before he muttered softly for Padme to continue before she did. Qui-gon watched his Padawan for any sign of pain but he felt only mild discomfort with the handmaiden’s work.

“That was an accident,” His Padawan pointed out as the last of his bandages were slowly removed. Qui-gon stood up and went over to Obi-wan only to let his eyes wander the sight of his Padawan’s burns. The edges where he had sustained the least amount of damage showed signs of healing though the rest of the burns looked as if they had experienced no immediate change. Padme must have noticed the same because she lightly touched the top of Obi-wan’s shoulder closest to her to examine the flesh there. The Force was indeed a remarkable thing but Obi-wan would need several more days of intense healing and perhaps even a day or two in a bacta tank at the Temple once they returned to Coruscant before he would be fully healed. That was _if_ Obi-wan had not done any more internal damage to himself besides the bruised lungs.

Qui-gon gently took Obi-wan’s chin in to his hand and tilted his Padawan’s head back to look at the ugly bruise on his Padawan’s forehead and the cut that it surrounded. “I’ll put you in another healing trance as soon as your bandages are changed.” He noted as he looked at the abused flesh.

“Yes, Master.” Obi-wan noted as Padme began to reapply bacta to the wounds and Qui-gon felt his Padawan’s facial muscles flinch slightly between his fingers as she touched a painful area despite being as light as she could.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Anakin asked hopefully and Qui-gon felt himself smile as he looked back at the Chosen One.

“For now, nothing. I am sure there is something we can find for you in order to pass the time but rest for now. You’ve had a very exciting day.” Qui-gon Jinn said as he folded his hands beneath the folded fabric of the poncho that he still wore. He knew that he would have to take a shower to wash away the Tatooine dust that covered him before he could once again feel human. He would wait until after he had put Obi-wan in a trance. The Jedi Master was worried for his Padawan and tried to not let the dark thoughts taint his mind. Broken ribs, even without the bruised lungs, were dangerous and Obi-wan had forced himself onward despite the pain. It would be a long four days until they reached Coruscant. Until then he would have to ensure that Obi-wan did not move much until they reached the Temple.

The chances of attack now that they were in open space were almost non-existent though Qui-gon knew that the assassin would suspect that Queen Amidala would be headed for Coruscant. They had a bit of a head start so Qui-gon had hope that they would beat their assassin there...but only if the individual was working alone. Qui-gon patted Obi-wan’s right shoulder gently and squeezed the muscle there before he turned to Anakin. “I want you to stay here, Anakin. I must go speak with the Queen. I’ll be back soon.” Qui-gon said as he reached down and rested a thickly calloused hand upon the boy’s narrow shoulder. Anakin’s looked up at him with a big smile.

“Yes sir!” The young nine year old grinned up at him. Qui-gon found himself smiling down at the boy gently before he collected himself and turned his mind to other matters. Four days to Coruscant...four more days...and then what? It would be a fight with the Council to train the young boy but he had to have confidence in the Force. It had been it's will for him to find Anakin. He was sure of it. He just knew that Anakin was the Chosen One.


	6. One Step Closer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oomph, this chapter was tough to write but we are getting sooooooo close to the fun stuff. Hang on tight kiddies, one more episode until the Battle of Naboo. What will be in store for our little budding romance and what is going to happen to little Anakin? How far have the scales of Fate been tipped? Comment and wait to find out!

_ “ _ Those are some nasty burns. _ ”  _  The young boy noted as he sat on the bed opposite of Obi-wan as he swung his legs back and forth as an outlet to his nervous energy. Padme felt herself smile as she looked at him, dirty face and all, as she reached in to the container of bacta only to feel it squish between her fingers. She looked to Obi-wan’s tired face and smirked gently as the Jedi Padawan looked at her through the corner of his eye. 

“I would be lying to say that it didn’t hurt,” Obi-wan said as Padme began to apply the bacta upon the thick span of his chest. Her fingers worked carefully around the burns and she could not help to marvel at the small signs of healing that she saw. She could vividly remember bandaging the burns a little more than a day ago and even now she could see the difference. Rabé entered a moment later wearing the exact same vibrant robes as Padme herself. The brilliant orange and yellow fabric was bright in the cramped little quarters and the young woman saw Anakin’s eyes widen in to saucers as he looked to the two women. Padme hid a smile as she very carefully traced the very edge of the burn as it sloped across Obi-wan’s ribs

“I am still amazed that you’re healing as fast as you are.” Padme noted as she carefully avoided a raise of his skin, no doubt a broken rib, as she brushed the last bit of bacta from her fingers on his side. A subtle but sudden shiver beneath her fingers made Padme’s eyebrows raise up slightly only to realize exactly  _ why _ Obi-wan had flinched. It appeared as though the dear Jedi was in fact slightly ticklish. “The Force I suspect,” She added as she caught Obi-wan looking at her through the peripheral of his gaze. She saw his eyes crinkle slightly in humor when he caught her realization. She said nothing to him about it. 

“Were you scared?” Anakin asked as he stared at Obi-wan which made the Jedi Padawan’s attention turn back to the young boy. 

“About...?” Obi-wan asked with a bit of a raised eyebrow only for Padme to see the slight narrowing of his eyes which made Padme think that he was drawing answers from the Force. She was indeed right when Obi-wan’s smile widened, “Oh, the krayt dragon. No, I wasn’t really scared.” The Jedi Padawan said as he turned his head slightly to watch as Padme’s fingers carefully began to apply bacta to the top of his shoulder before moving down his arm. 

“I was.” Padme noted softly as her fingers traced the burns as her mind dared to imagine what his skin would look like unblemished by the burns. She could feel the thick muscle as she held his arm carefully so that she could apply the healing salve. The strength that he had shown upon fighting the desert krayt dragon was ingrained in her memory from the previous night. She could remember how his body twisted through the air as the beast charged them. She had not expected him to be able to move as he had. He had been so quick and every twist of his body controlled though she knew that he had been in agony with every movement. Never would she had thought that Obi-wan would have jumped on the dragon’s back like he had. It had almost caught her and she had felt its hot breath on her arm as she ducked behind the stone cover she had taken refuge behind when the creature had turned its sights upon her. He had done all of that despite the terrible pain he had been in. She remembered the horrible feeling of seeing Obi-wan laying face down in the sand after he had been hit. She didn’t want anyone to die because of her….to die for her.

“ _ You _ were there?” Anakin asked softly with a growing sound of awe. Padme turned her face to look at the young boy and saw the awe in his face. His huge eyes started at her as his jaw hung open ever so slightly. “You are so brave.” The boy said softly only for Padme to smile as she looked at him before she looked to Rabé as the other handmaiden began to prepare rolls of bandages. The other young woman matched her smile and winked slightly at Padme before she turned back to her work. 

“Perhaps,” She said softly only as Obi-wan's face twisted in to smile.

“Bravery is doing what is required when you have to despite being scared,” The Jedi Padawan said softly as Padme accepted the bandages from Rabé and began to slowly curl them around Obi-wan's arm once she was done applying bacta.

“Is that what they teach at the Temple?” Padme asked gently and Obi-wan shrugged his right shoulder slightly in regards to her gentle banter. His words made her feel better, nevertheless.Padme smiled softly to herself as she worked and carefully layered the bandages around Obi-wan's arm and shoulder before turning to the Padawan's chest. The broken ribs complicated matters and Padme was forced to loosely bandage his chest to keep from restricting his ability to breathe. The sweet smell of bacta greeted her nose as she leaned close to him and felt the warmth of his breath along the side of her face as she threaded the bandages around him. When she looked up at him, his eyes were closed and the corners of his mouth were pinched tightly together so that his lips were a thin line. He was trying his hardest to keep the depth of his pain hidden but there were cracks where Padme saw him struggling. She made a mental note to give him something extra for the pain.

“Can you breathe with the bandages?”. Padme questioned as she slid a small finger beneath the edge of them to ensure that it was really as loose as she thought it was. Obi-wan creaked open a eye and she was able to admire the greyish blue color beneath his thick eyelashes. She had never seen eyes like his and she felt herself smiling up at him. 

“They are perfect. You did a good job.” Obi-wan noted as he lifted his right hand and pressed it against his solar plexus only to try and draw in a slightly deeper breath to test himself. She could tell that he instantly regretted it as his features clouded and his color dimmed slightly. His broken ribs were still indeed very broken.

Padme reached for the medical bag and pulled out the injection device. She dialed a standard dose of pain relief and gently stroked the line of his neck to find the appropriate muscle. “I’m going to give you a bit more medicine now,” She noted as she lifted it to his neck, he said nothing but tilted his head ever so slightly to provide her a better angle. The injection device hissed as the tiny needle within pierced his neck briefly before clicking to indicate the dose had been dispensed. 

Obi-wan’s eyes blinked rapidly as the medicine no doubt began to take hold and Padme looked at him apologetically as she helped him redress with Rabé’s help. He had been through so much in such a short time, mostly helping her and her people. The door hissed open only to reveal Master Jinn at the doorway. He appeared tired and Padme empathized with him. She too had only gotten a few hours sleep after her and Obi-wan had returned from rescuing the Queen and the rest of the abducted crewmen. Obi-wan had collapsed shortly after they had returned and Padme had unfortunately been forced to wake him up so that the crew could go about cleaning the cargo bay free of the blood that had been shed during the brief fight. He hadn’t been able to sleep since and had only agreed to a little bit of medicine to dull the worst of the pain so that he could function. That was before Qui-gon Jinn arrived with their supplies.

Despite the pain, when worse came to worse, Obi-wan had not hesitated though when Anakin had run in to the ship shouting that Qui-gon was under attack. Padme knew that he would have thrown himself at the attacker to buy them all time to escape if there was any chance that the assassin would come closer. She was incredibly thankful that Qui-gon was able to repel the attacker long enough so that they could become airborne before rescuing the Jedi Master himself. 

“Come, Obi-wan.” Master Jinn instructed softly and Obi-wan winced as he slowly stood up. Padme was careful to help him stand and she felt the heaviness of his hand upon her narrow shoulder as he used her to steady himself before following his Master. He was weaker than he appeared and he gave it away in the little details despite acting so stoic. Padme ruffled Anakin’s hair slightly as he passed in front of her to follow the Jedi. 

“Thank you, Anakin. We owe you a great deal. Rabé told me how you won the podrace to pay for the parts for our ship.” Padme said to Anakin as she walked with them in the direction of the cargo bay. It was where the Jedi had chosen to take up residence to keep out of the way of the crew since the beginning of their journey so she wasn’t surprised when she saw several thick blankets in Qui-gon arm. 

“It was nothing,” Anakin said dismissively but he wasn’t good at hiding his exuberance. It bubbled very close to the surface and she could see it in his face. The thrill of his win was still at the front of his mind. It had been only a few standard hours since he had won both the race and his freedom all in one stroke.

“Well, it was something to us. We can’t thank you enough.” Padme said as Anakin looked up at her and smiled warmly. He gave a nod to her and watched as Anakin rushed forward a few steps to catch up to Qui-gon who had gained only a little distance ahead. She could tell the young boy thought that the Jedi Master hung the moons and the stars the way that he looked up at the old man. Master Qui-gon had been the one to win his freedom and put trust in a little dusty desert urchin when no one probably thought much of him since he was a slave. 

The cargo bay was cool and Padme could hear the tumble of the ship’s hyperdrive as they sped through space towards Coruscant. At one wall some storage containers had been rearranged and stacked neatly to provide a little bit of cover from the door. It was there that she saw a stress-mat had already been laid down as well as a blanket folded as a makeshift pillow. Obi-wan walked gingerly over to the area and Padme watched as her carefully folded his legs underneath himself and sat down on a space of floor, not taking advantage of the mat like she thought he would. “My ribs won’t let me lay down.” Obi-wan said as he looked up to her as if catching her thoughts or seeing her confusion upon her features. She nodded in understanding as she looked to Master Qui-gon and saw him motioning Anakin to sit on the mat. It was then that it clicked...perhaps Anakin was more tired than he let on. The Jedi were keeping him out of the way. Surely other sleeping arrangements would be found later on but the crewmen were busy trying to finish up minor repairs and lot of space was being used for those that had been injured as a result of the ambush. 

“Ready, Obi-wan?” Qui-gon asked as he turned to his Padawan and so Padme watched in silence as the Jedi Master slid over to the young man. Obi-wan rolled his shoulders slightly and folded his hands in to his lap in what Padme recognized as a meditation stance. Qui-gon’s hands touched Obi-wan’s face and held his head gently between his palms. The Jedi Master rested his thumbs resting upon the Padawan's temples as his fingers splayed across the sides of Obi-wan’s head as both of their eyes closed. Padme could not help but recognize the enormous amount of trust between the two men as Qui-gon methodically put Obi-wan in to a healing trance. She had seen it briefly when Obi-wan had been unconscious and Qui-gon had cradled him in the chemical shower. Padme did not know what had been going on but she understood now. She could see the intense concentration of Master Jinn as it played across his face and could see the stress lines of Obi-wan’s face soften slightly. It was only a minute or two before the Master Jedi pulled away from Obi-wan who stayed motionless.

“So is he asleep or something?” Anakin asked as he looked at the Jedi Padawan and Padme thought for sure that the young boy was resisting the urge to wave a hand in front of Obi-wan’s face to see if he was playing or not. 

Qui-gon chuckled slightly as he leaned back on his heels before extending a hand back to catch himself so he could sit on the mat. “Yes and no,” The Master Jedi said as he drew a knee up slightly so he could brace his elbow on it as he allowed his opposite shoulder to lock so he could recline and look at both Anakin and Padme. “He is in a trance. It’s a healing trance to help him recover from his wounds. Four days is not enough to heal him completely. Internal injuries are harder to heal than superficial ones. He may have suffered more damage than what I can see through the Force. By keeping him in a trance he can recover his strength and gain some reprieve from his pain.”

“I knew that he was putting up a pretty big front.” Padme said as she crossed her arms in front of his chest as she looked at the Padawan and could feel the slight frown tugging at her features. She didn’t like it when people around her were injured or in pain. The thought of her people dying back on Naboo threatened to make her feel physically ill. “I was worried about him before after you left. His pulse was so slow.”

“Our vitals are lower when we meditate due to our connection with the Force. Some Jedi are practiced are able to put themselves in a stasis like state, even fool medical droids by slowing their vitals to the point of perceived death.” Qui-gon noted with a slight smile upon his features as he looked to Anakin who watched him attentively. 

“Can you do that?!” Anakin asked excitedly only for Padme to slightly shake her head in amusement. Qui-gon laughed slightly and shook his head no. 

“I am a Master but I am not that practiced. My talents lay in other fields of expertise.” He said as he allowed himself to lean back onto the mat so that his back was flat against its forgiving thickness. Padme felt herself smiling to herself because she knew that the Jedi were well versed in many different things from languages, diplomacy, and combat. Obi-wan had shown her that much at least. 

“I’ll leave you to rest. I’ll be back a little bit later with some food.” Padme supplied warmly and allowed her hand to twitch slightly to slyly wave at Anakin who returned the gesture. The little boy was looking increasingly worn out and his eyes were beginning to glaze over. No doubt it had been an overwhelming sort of day. She returned back to the crew’s chambers only to see Rabé cleaning up the last bit of bandages and throwing them in the waste bin. Padme sighed as she allowed herself to sit down on the edge of the bed and pick up Obi-wan’s robe that he had unintentionally left behind. She hugged the fabric and allowed herself to fall sideways towards the top of the bed so that the pillow caught her head as she pulled her feet up underneath her. 

“So tired,” Padme sighed as she pulled the pillow further beneath her head and dug her chin in it so that she could twist her neck to look at Rabé. Her friend rested her hand upon her calf and rubbed her palm against her leg through the velveted fabric. They would all be able to get some rest now. The new hyperdrive was working beautifully, the ship was on it’s way to Coruscant, and they would hopefully be able to address the Senate quickly about Naboo’s invasion. 

“You should probably go to sleep, Padme. You haven’t gotten much rest lately.” Rabé coaxed gently only to see Padme smile slightly, “Granted, no one has gotten much rest lately, but you did walk half the desert last night.” Rabé noted as she rubbed Padme’s leg harder to accent a point. Padme had to admit to herself that Rabé’s motions were very hypnotic and felt good to her sore muscles. Her legs, though she was far from being out of shape, were tired and her joints were sore due to the constant fight she had waged against the thick desert sand. 

“I did, didn’t I?” Padme asked rhetorically as she rubbed an eye only to somehow feel the grit of sand in the corner of her eyes. She found that she now detested the feel of sand. It was coarse and got everywhere. She was sure that it would take Rabé weeks to comb it all out of her hair despite Padme trying to scrub it all out in the ship’s shower. “You should have seen him though, Rabé.” Padme allowed herself to wistfully sigh only for Rabé to giggle slightly only to earn a light push on her leg from Padme’s foot. 

“Someone has a crush on a cute Jedi,” Rabé said singsongy only for Padme to laugh lightly thus escaping the harsher and heavier truth of reality. For once she was an eighteen year old with few cares instead of a Queen in hiding and the threat of war upon the horizon, “I kind of don’t mind bandaging him up. He is very well chiseled.”

“Don’t let anyone hear you, Rabé!” Padme hissed slightly as she felt her eyes grow heavy, “Seriously, you are impossible. I don’t think lusting over our Jedi protectors is appropriate.” She scoffed at her friend only for Rabé to smile noticing Padme’s half-lidded gaze. Rabé oozed from the bed and reached for Padme’s hand only to squeeze it reassuringly. Padme felt the grip of her fingers and returned it tightly. Their moment of jesting was over and the young woman felt increasingly tired and emotionally drained. Sabé and Eirtaé had both been hurt during the Tusken Raider’s ambush. Captain Panaka had seriously injured his leg. Three other crewmembers had been injured as well, one seriously. Bruises, broken bones, and black eyes all lingered in the back of Padme Amidala’s mind’s eye. She had been so worried about them and a part of her had been thankful that Obi-wan had the forethought to have her tend to them first with the remaining medical supplies that they had before Qui-gon had returned to them.

Obi-wan had been right. Master Jinn had indeed pulled through. She had doubted him but Obi-wan had stayed true...

Padme found herself slipping off to sleep and she allowed herself to welcome it despite a brief fight. She knew she was tired but she was almost afraid that she would miss something if she allowed herself to fall asleep. It was ultimately a fight that she conceded. 

The young woman woke up hours later. She felt grogginess weighing heavily in her mind and her mouth was thick with sleep. The heavy velvet robe kept her warm without an added blanket but it felt cumbersome as she rolled over and allowed her feet to rest on the floor. She craned her ears only to hear the sounds of other people sleeping in the other beds within the small space. She caught the colored fabric of two other handmaidens in the bed above her and in the adjacent bed. The fourth bed across was occupied by one of the other crew members who had begun to snore a little bit louder. Padme rubbed her hands across her features and felt the intense need to go wash her face to wake up. She exited and turned to go in to the washroom just slightly adjacent to the crew’s sleeping quarters. Her face was down and her eyes half-lidded as she pressed a hand to the palm pad only to step forward when it opened.

Padme had not been expecting anyone to be coming out as she entered. She saw nothing but a solid body as she stepped forward and braced for impact as she extended a hand to catch herself. The large hands upon her shoulders kept her from running in to them and she immediately sucked in a breath to apologize. “Master Qui-gon,” The handmaiden noted with a rush of surprise. She hadn’t expected to see him although when she looked up at him she understood perhaps why he had been in the washroom. Water dripped from the man’s hair and his face no longer bore the thick grime of Tatooine’s dusty desert. His clothes were noticeably cleaner and he no doubt felt more human by the way that his eyes pinched lightly at the corners thus indicating a hidden smile. He found her barrelling in to him some how funny. Padme considered it slightly embarrassing. 

“You appear as though you might be in need of a cup of coffee.” Qui-gon noted as his eyes obviously examined her and her still sleepy expression. Padme felt herself smile as she allowed a finger to rub at her temple as she willed her heart to not be so hard inside of her chest. 

“I could agree to that. How is Obi-wan? Should I make him some food?” Padme asked as she lingered there for a moment only for Qui-gon to shake his head slowly from side to side. His long but damp hair swayed from side to side with the motions of his head and Padme some how found Qui-gon looking increasingly tired. 

“No, he will not need to eat for a few hours more. I want to keep him in the healing trance as long as possible.” Qui-gon said as he raised a calloused hand and ran his fingers through his damp locks. Padme nodded softly as the Jedi Master side stepped to allow her entry in to the washroom. 

“I do want to thank you, Master Jinn.” Padme said as she turned to look at the Jedi Master through the doorway after she had taken half a step to enter before stopping. “I want to say...your Padawan was very brave. Even wounded he thought nothing of his own safety and fought off odds that should have killed him. I get the feeling that even if it hadn’t been the Queen that was taken, I think he would have still gone after the Raiders.” She said softly as she allowed her hand to rest on the cool metal of the door frame. She watched as Qui-gon’s deep eyes locked on her own and held her there for a long moment. What did he see? 

“My Padawan is headstrong but he will make a fine Jedi one day.” Qui-gon said as he tipped his head slightly and accepted Padme’s praise. 

“Will you speak to him?.” Padme said softly to the Master Jedi. “He was more than upset that he did not awaken sooner and that our people were injured in the attack.” Padme said softly and watched as Qui-gon’s gaze turned slightly thoughtful. “He knows you are proud of him but does he really know what you think of him?” 

Qui-gon was silent as his eyes turned thoughful before nodding his head slightly to Padme though he said nothing else. The silence was deafening and Padme allowed herself to move out of the door’s sensor so that it closed behind her. The room was dim but brightened almost immediately to reveal the washroom. Padme felt her shoulders slump as she approached the sink and pulled up her sleeves. The cool water that rushed over her fingers were a relief as she lifted her cupped hands to her face and wet her face. She stood bowed over the sink for a long moment and closed her eyes to concentrate on the water that dripped from her features. She tried to feel every drop as it trailed along her face, along her cheeks, down across the side of her nose until it hung upon her nose tip before falling. The air was cool against her face and Padme lifted her eyes only to see the whites bloodshot and red. 

Padme knew she needed sleep but it would be a while in coming. To keep her thoughts from darkening she dried her face and began to walk the ship to check on everyone. The Queen was resting, as was everyone else. It seemed everyone had the same thought of mind and took the time to recover from their time on Tatooine. The planet had left its mark on everyone or so it seemed. The time on Tatooine had sapped everyone's strength leaving the utterly exhausted, both mentally and physically.Padme walked slowly to the cargo bay only to see the lights were very dim within and she debated going in for fear of waking up either Anakin or Qui-gon from whatever sleep they were attempting to capture. Her thoughts lingered upon poor Kenobi. 

She had seen him put his body through things that he shouldn’t have been able to walk away from. She suspected the Force had something to do with his ability to keep going but she had seen him struggle. She had seen the way that his eyes glazed over when he thought that she wasn’t looking. She had heard him struggle to breath with every gasp of air between his lips seemed to fight him. She had watched as a cold sweat beaded up on his brow despite the cold air causing fog to roll in front of their lips as they trekked across the desert. No one would have blamed him if he had sat down at one point and had given up but he never did. 

Instead, he had pushed him beyond the point of pain…

Padme felt a lump rise in her throat as she recalled the look Obi-wan had given her the moment after he had managed to send the Tusken Raiders scattering with his dragon call. There had been so much pain behind those beautiful gray-blue eyes and his entire face betrayed him.  _ Help me _ , his eyes begged her as he struggled to breathe as if the ability had been stolen from him,  _ Help me. _

The handmaiden suppressed a shudder that rippled down her back remembering the desperation of Obi-wan’s face. He was human just the same as hers but they expected so much of the Jedi. That was why, perhaps, Obi-wan pushed him beyond what he should have been able to. They needed them to operate beyond what a normal person was capable of because they were capable of so much more. For a brief moment she felt sorry for the Jedi Order that the Republic relied upon so heavily to keep the peace. 

A heavy hand on her shoulder drew her thoughts from her mind and she spun around to discover its owner. She released the breath when she realizes it was only Qui-gon again but this time he carried two thick ceramic mugs in one hand. “I was hoping to find you.” Qui-gon said as he took one mug and extended it to her. Coffee, she noted as soon as she caught a whiff of it upon accepting the mug from the Jedi Master. “One of the handmaidens was kind enough to let me know how you like yours when I was pouring it.” He supplied and Padme felt a gentle smile tug at her features. 

“Thank you, Master Jedi.” Padme said softly as she pressed the mug between her hands and could feel the warmth between her palms. It was a glorious feeling and one she needed. The Master Jedi tilted his head slightly and took a sip as he stared in to the cargo bay despite the low light. “Is Anakin asleep?” She asked softly as she followed the Jedi’s actions and took an experimental sip of her own hot beverage.

“Exhaustion finally caught up with him,” Qui-gon Jinn noted warmly and Padme could not help but catch the sight of pride in the Jedi’s face.

The undercover Queen had listened attentively to Rabe’s recollection of events as soon as their Jedi Protectors had gone their separate ways to complete their tasks prior to their departure from Tatooine; Qui-gon to retrieve their young hero and Obi-wan to repair the hyperdrive.The young handmaiden had spoken kindly about the little boy who had made their escape possible which started from saving them from the encroaching sandstorm all the way to winning the podrace. The sheer volume of what Anakin had done escaped him but he did the best he could with all the strength he could muster. He had seen a need that he could fill and had done so without any thought of his own safety. Podracing was very dangerous and it had almost ended badly for the young human on several occasions.

Padme owed the little boy a lot...but she questioned...what was going to happen to him? Surely the Jedi would take him along to Coruscant but to where? To what end? “So what is going to happen to Anakin? You freed him from slavery but what now?” Padme asked innocently only to see the slight purse and draw of the Jedi Master’s lips. 

“I am taking him to the Jedi Temple,” The Master supplied in a low voice and something inside Padme told her that what he said was not as simple or as light as he made it seem. “He is a very special boy.”

“He seems like it,” Padme noted with a smile as she remembered his big grin that seemed to stretch from ear to ear. She stole a glance at Master Jinn’s face only to see thoughts rolling behind his eyes. Serious thoughts that drew the lines of his face down in to a small frown. Things were not as they seemed. “I’ll leave you to rest, Master Jedi. You need your strength just as much as everyone else.” She commented with a soft smile and lifted her coffee slightly. “Thank you for the drink. You were right, I did need this.” She said warmly and Qui-gon looked to her with a soft smile and nodded his head slightly. 

Three and a half more days to Coruscant…

Padme liked to spend her time with Anakin and Qui-gon during the long trip to help the hours pass. The boy was adventurous and all the more eager to tell anyone who would listen about the grand Podrace he had won or about his adventurous (if not slightly sad and difficult) life on Tatooine. Qui-gon let the boy have his moment of glory until the third retelling of the tale concerning the podrace. Anakin was a little put out that Qui-gon was discouraging him but the boy didn’t seem to mind. Jedi weren’t supposed to be prideful but modest instead so he was going to try and do his best to emulate Qui-gon as much as possible. Padme could see it. The boy was absolutely smitten with the Jedi Master and took careful inventory of the way that Qui-gon acted and tried his best to repeat him. If Qui-gon stood with his arms folded then Anakin did the same. That was, until Padme was in the room. Anakin’s face was bright as Padme looked to him as he walked up to her though her mind was on other things.

It would be hours until they reached Coruscant and Padme was feeling increasingly anxious. What if they were attacked again? Obi-wan still wasn’t completely healed yet. She had made a point to change his bandages that morning as soon as she had woken up. The burns were looking better though and she was surprised to see that the former brutalized flesh was healing seamlessly. She couldn’t even tell where he had been burned in the areas that had been completely healed. However, he still struggled to breathe and Qui-gon said that it was because the Force was working hard to heal his internal injuries it would take some time without a bacta tank. Without a medical droid, they didn’t know how bad his internal injuries were.

Padme was fearful for the Padawan Learner. 

They had walked halfway across the Wastes with his broken ribs… What had that done to Obi-wan? She had often looked back at him and seen how far he lagged behind them. He tried to hide the weakness in his limbs but she could see his hands shaking. Had he suffered more internal injuries? Qui-gon kept Obi-wan in a healing trance but she could see the worry in Qui-gon's face when the old man looked at his protégé. A small sliver of bone could spell the young man's death easily since they were still so far away from help and had no medical droid with them

“Here, Padme. I made you this.” Anakin said softly as he extended out his hand to the young woman where she sat at a small table in the ship’s common area. Padme felt curiosity tease at her thoughts as the young boy slid up next to her and deposited a small square in to her palm. Padme instantly felt a smile bubble up on her features as she examined the small piece. It was slightly crude but those qualities made the piece even more endearing when she realized it was handmade and not the product of a machine. 

“Oh Anakin, it’s beautiful.” She remarked as she examined the engraved runes in the pendant and allowed her thumb to rub over across the top of them. Anakin’s face noticeably flushed but the little boy just swallowed hard. That action was not missed by the young handmaiden. 

“I made it to remember me by after I leave to start my Jedi training,” Anakin supplied as he watched Padme’s fingers trace the piece. “I made it from a japor snippet.”

Padme made a soft sound of surprise but she could feel warmth spread across her features. “Oh Anakin, how could I ever forget you.” She said as she leaned close and put an arm around his shoulders to pull him close in to a hug. “Thank you, Anakin. I can tell you worked so hard on it. I will treasure it.” She said as she felt the boy lean in to the hug and wrap his narrow arms around her waist. “I am sure that you are going to become a powerful Jedi one day. I know it.” She said as she gave Anakin a tight squeeze before she let him go. A ruffle of his hair made him laugh and he tried to smooth down the messy mop. 

“Padme...we are starting our final approach to the planet.” Panaka noted as he came up to her. There was still a pained limp to the man’s stride but he was healing nicely from what he told her. Padme ruffled Anakin's hair again as she slid out of the seat as Panaka looked down at the young boy. “Want to watch from the cockpit?” He asked as Qui-gon approached. 

“Qui-gon, can I?” Anakin asked breathlessly only for a gentle expression to pass across Qui-gon's feature. Taking that as a yes, Anakin half sprinted to the cockpit with the others following. Obi-wan walked up behind Padme and set a hand upon her shoulder to get her attention. She took the hand as a sign to hold back and so she slowed her pace until the others had gone on ahead of them.

“Is everything okay, Obi-wan?” Padme questioned as she looked in the the Jedi Padawan's face. His color was still poor but he looked as though he was feeling the tiniest bit better. She put a hand on Obi-wan's arm as she leaned in close to him to make room for a passing crewman. The Jedi smiled slightly and Padme forced her expression to relax. No doubt she had appeared all too serious for the occasion. But soon they would be landing and then what…? 

“I never got to thank you for all of your help the last few days.” Obi-wan said softly and Padme felt a slight flutter in her chest and she could only smile back at him. “You probably saved my life by distracting the krayt dragon. Not many people would have been that brave enough to draw it’s attention to them.”

“Well, someone had to save your skin.” Padme said softly only to realize just how the words sounded. She tried hard to keep herself from showing the growing blush when she realized that she may have been attempting to flirt with the young Padawan though she wasn’t sure if he noticed. “You and your Master have done so much for us. The Queen wanted you Jedi to know that.” Padme said softly in the attempt to cover her tracks and bring themselves back to a comfortable thread of conversation. “What will happen after we land?”

“We will have to debrief the Council on what has occurred. This is no longer a simple diplomatic mission. The Jedi cannot become involved in a war. It will be up to them to determine what the next course of action.” Obi-wan said slowly with a bit of a smirk playing across his features but his smirk quickly changed in to a frown that marred his features. Padme again found herself thinking that Obi-wan’s face was far too attractive for such a troubled look. 

“So it may be that we part once we land,” Padme admitted softly only for Obi-wan to gently nod his head slightly. “I hope we get all of this solved and quickly for the People’s sake. The blockade was already going on for a month prior to the invasion.” Padme said sadly as she looked up at Obi-wan. She saw empathy in his blue-gray eyes and she knew that this was not the first time he had seen such strife and he too wished that it would end quickly. 

A shudder beneath their feet signaled that the ship had just barely begun to enter Coruscant’s atmosphere. It was in that moment that Padme realized how close she had been standing to him and she let go of his arm as she stepped back. “Best go find your seat, Padme.” Obi-wan noted with a gentle smile as he tossed his chin towards the belly of the ship. “I’ll see you when we land.” He said before he turned to head towards the cockpit to help with the landing sequences. Padme hardly had a chance to say anything else to him before his stride ate up the distance between them and the cockpit’s door which hissed softly to admit him. 

“Padme!” Captain Panaka called from the hallway in the other direction and Padme turned on her heel to meet him. The Gungan moaned from his place where he sat with the other crew members and Padme could not help but look at him sympathetically when she noticed his coloration had turned from a rusty orange to a slight greenish color. Evidently flying did not agree well with the aquatic creature. Other thoughts quickly took up Padme’s mind as she turned inward as the ship slowly decelerated as they descended through the atmosphere to Coruscant.

How was she ever going to convince the Senate to intervene? She had to believe that they would. After all, the invasion was an act of war on a peaceful planet. People’s lives were at stake...the Senate had to act...They had to.  



	7. Healing and Misunderstandings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey fellas!  
> Thanks for being patient with me. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter. It was a little bit of a chore to write but we are right up on things getting seriously interesting! Hold on to your butt cheeks people!
> 
> Please don't forget to comment and add this story to your bookmarks so you don't missout on the next chapter. Please and thank you!

There was no denying that there was some measure of relief in Obi-wan’s shoulders as the landing platform loomed in front of them. His hands quickly helped the pilot land the Nubian cruiser and initiated the ship’s landing sequence. His movements were quick despite the pain and discomfort that squeezed his chest like a vice. The Padawan felt himself hesitate, however, when he reached for a series of switches with his right hand and saw it shaking. He clenched his fingers hard in to a fist before flipping the switches and drawing the offending hand back to his core only to feel his Master’s presence over his shoulder. With his Master’s presence he could feel a strong pluck of the Force Bond between them. Qui-gon could feel precisely what Obi-wan was trying his best to hide. “I want you to go immediately to the Halls of Healing. I will meet with the Council myself and bring them up to date on the mission.”

“Yes, Master.” Obi-wan noted softly with a slight note of disappointment. He wanted to be with his Master when he debriefed the Council as to what happened but understood that he was barely managing the strength to move much less anything else. “What of the boy?”

“Anakin will go with the Queen and her handmaidens for the time being,” Qui-gon said as he folded his hands across his chest and shoved his hands completely within the confines of his cloak. Obi-wan felt his head tip forward in a bit of a small nod as he stared at the console as he powered down. He watched as the colors began to dim, going from bright blues and greens to black as the computer went to standby. Surely the ship would be moved but for the moment Obi-wan’s job was done.

That did not stop Obi-wan from reaching for the Force as he sat there for a moment to collect himself. He had to garner enough strength to make it from the ship to the transportation that would take both him and his Master to the Temple. Something was off though. Obi-wan felt as though his Master was not completely forthcoming with all the details pertaining to the ‘nonessential’ passengers that they had accumulated over the last six days. Additionally,  Qui-gon’s words did not match up entirely with what he could feel from his Master through the Force. Qui-gon thought often about Anakin and his fate lingered at the forefront of his Master’s mind. That concerned Obi-wan because far too many times the Council did not agree with his Master’s handling of certain things and situations. Garnering a life-debt with another sentient and obtaining a ward after freeing him from slavery was sure to come up in the debriefing...and something made Obi-wan think that his Master was not going to let the boy be shuttle off for others to deal with. Qui-gon felt far too...protective...of the young boy and that made Obi-wan feel uneasy.

His Master did not need another notch in his belt to put him on bad standing with the Council.

At a word from his Master Obi-wan forced his feet to hold his weight and pushed himself from the safe confines of the chair. Already people were beginning to arrange themselves to prepare for unloading and Obi-wan saw Padme approaching him with his cloak. She gave him a sly smile as she all but dropped it in his hand after extending it to him. Obi-wan felt a gentle smirk play across his features as he took it and carefully slipped in to it though his chest still complained.  “Be careful...I have a feeling that not everything as it seems. I still have a bad feeling. I have ever since this mission started.” Obi-wan whispered to her softly as she stepped close to fix the collar of his tunic. Her eyes appeared slightly surprised but Obi-wan held her gaze for a long few seconds before she nodded slightly. Obi-wan did not miss the gentle touch of Padme’s hand upon his elbow as she parted and took her place by her Queen’s side while the Jedi took the position in front to protect her if need be.

Obi-wan stretched out his senses and peered hard in to the Force only to find nothing save for the long pressing disturbance in the Force that had began at the beginning of the mission almost a week ago. It still throbbed at the back of his mind and he pooled his anxieties together before carefully releasing them in to the Force like he was trained to. He had to keep his mind on the Living Force as Qui-gon encouraged.

Despite all that and his current condition and the growing pain in his chest...it was good to be home. 

Obi-wan felt the wind tug at his cloak and brush past his face as they walked the short distance to Chancellor Valorum's side to greet the Republic's leader even as other guards stepped forward to close a protective circle around the Queen. He actively scanned the area with both his eyes and with the Force. They were still hunted but he was relieved to see the guards of the Senate and of Chancellor Valorum. An attack would not happen here. There were too many eyes on guard but they still had to get the Queen to safety. Obi-wan followed at his Master’s side as they walked to the Chancellor and bowed to the Republic’s leader despite how his chest cried out with the motion. He felt his Master’s great concern at the sudden flash of intense agony through their training bond as they moved slightly off to the side to allow the Queen to pass them. 

Obi-wan knew that as soon as they had arrived at the Temple that he would be sequestered away and sent to the Halls of Healing. The question was only of ‘when’.

The Queen’s black mourning dress was dark against the brightness of her handmaiden’s robes. In amongst the group Obi-wan saw Padme’s face and saw that her eyes flicked to his for a moment before they turned to look at the Senator Palpatine and Chancellor Valorum. It was out of the corner of Obi-wan’s eye that he saw his Master draw Anakin close and whisper something in to his ear before shooing him towards Padme’s side. Obi-wan felt a little bit of relief that the boy was not going to be coming with the Jedi back to the Temple. Perhaps his earlier feelings from Qui-gon had been wrong. The boy was kindhearted, no doubt his Master would work to ensure that the boy was taken in by a good foster family. The child deserved that much at least.

Obi-wan shook himself from his thoughts as Chancellor Valorum walked back to them as the Queen disembarked the landing platform with all of her handmaidens and security in tow. “I must meet with the Jedi Council immediately. The situation has become much more complicated.” The Jedi Master noted with a careful frown and Obi-wan watched as the Chancellor’s face tightened slightly but he sensed a measure of resolve from the old politician. They all turned to watch the Queen’s transport leave and Obi-wan watched the speeder until it turned around a distant corner and disappeared out of sight. Obi-wan found his thoughts lingering on Padme and he could only hope that the Queen was successful in her pleas. A lot depended on her resolve and her ability to get through to the Senate.

The Padawan turned his head only to see his Master and Chancellor Valorum had already started walking to the Chancellor’s private shuttle. The Senate Guards closed ranks behind him as he moved to join them although he felt increasingly weak with every hurried step towards the waiting transport. The Padawan felt as though he couldn’t catch his breath and he felt his brow knit together has he tried to find the source of his discomfort. The pain in his chest had been growing for better part of the morning ever since he had been roused from his place in the cargo bay. 

Something was wrong…

There was no deflecting Qui-gon Jinn’s intense gaze as he entered the Chancellor’s shuttle and he did not argue when Qui-gon asked someone to call ahead to the Temple for a Healer to be ready for them. Obi-wan could only sit and rest his shoulder against the transparasteel window as he fought to keep his breath even. His Master moved to his side without a word. The young Jedi felt as if a bantha was sitting on his chest and his broken ribs only made breathing deeply that much more difficult. Every breath was beginning to become a chore and he felt Qui-gon’s calloused hand against the nape of his neck. No doubt he could feel his Padawan’s rising distress across their training bond. Calm flooded his senses and he closed his eyes only to lean in to the feeling that his Master pushed upon him. He had done something similar to the Gungan earlier in the mission but only this time he was trying to keep his Padawan from panicking.

_ Something may be punctured _ . Obi-wan admitted to himself as he tried to slow his breathing instead of his body giving in to the sensation of not being able to breathe. In the back of his mind his instinct to take quicker, deeper breaths screamed at him but he forced himself to rely on the lessons engrained in to him from an early age at the Temple and willed the Force around himself to help him breathe easier. It was difficult but he was managing. He could tell that Qui-gon was agitated by the tension along his jaw but never did the older Jedi’s hand move from his Padawan’s neck even as they neared the Temple. 

The Temple itself was huge and towered over the immediate area surrounding the huge building with its high pillars and glistening stone sides. It was home, or the closest to anything Obi-wan had known as home. His eyes fluttered tiredly and he startled when he felt a sharp sting against his cheek. “Don’t close your eyes, Obi-wan.” Qui-gon said sharply and Obi-wan registered his Master’s fingers close to his face and the compulsion of the Force upon his Master’s words.

“I am trying, Master.” Obi-wan noted and began to register that his vision had begun to go slightly blurry around the corners of his eyes. He focused hard on his Master’s face and saw the worry there behind the older man’s eyes. “I should have been quicker, Master.”

“You did better than what I could have asked of you.” Qui-gon noted gruffly as he turned his head and looked to the ramp as it lowered. Obi-wan felt the world spin as Qui-gon forced him to stand and other hands moved to brace him as he felt himself lean heavily against his Master. “I have you, Padawan.” Qui-gon’s voice said softly in to Obi-wan’s ear and the Padawan felt himself smirk slightly only for a tiredness to press down upon him harder than before. 

“What in the sky above have you been doing to your Padawan, Master Qui-gon?” A Healer asked as she rested a hand over the center of the Padawan’s back as they slowly walked him down the ramp. His color was ash white and he visibly struggled to breathe. “He’s almost completely collapsed his right lung and his left is threatening to as well.”

“You know, the normal cheating death…” Obi-wan muttered and he was sure that if he wasn’t so close to collapse that the Jedi Healer would have hit him. As it was, Obi-wan felt the testy look from the Healer as they moved him as quickly as they dared the short distance that separated the landing pad to the main bulk of the Halls of Healing. It felt like marching across the desert wastes again despite the short distance. 

It hurt to breathe... Every gasp of breath…Every inhale. Every exhale. Every flex of a rib.

Qui-gon’s strong hands never released Obi-wan from their grasp until they had moved him in to intensive care. The Jedi Healers were practiced as they moved and stripped the Padawan of his robes leaving only his trousers on as he rested upon a small hospital bed. Even the bandages that Padme had carefully applied were removed thus leaving his half-healed exposed. The four days of healing meditation had worked well but the Padawan still was healing where the worst of the burns had been. The Padawan suppressed a shiver as the medical droids hoovered close to take his vitals as the Jedi Healer began to prep the bacta tank that was carefully sequestered in a recess of the wall. Their mechanical eyes whirled as they began to methodically examine him and Qui-gon helped hold the oxygen mask close to Obi-wan’s face when the young man’s arm was too weak to remain lifted. Obi-wan allowed his eyes to drift shut as he concentrated on breathing. It was difficult to keep them open. He felt the faint sting of an IV needle slip in to the hollow of his left elbow but he hardly paid it any mind...other things hurt far worse than a single needle.

“I am sorry, Master.” Obi-wan whispered softly and he wasn’t sure that Qui-gon had heard him. It was a scant few seconds before he felt his Master’s other hand gently rest upon the crown of his head. The older man’s fingers pressed down and slid along the back of Obi-wan’s scalp. It was an incredibly soothing gesture and one that meant more to Obi-wan than he would admit. He knew he loved his Master more than he ought to but there was no stopping it. The relationship between them as Master and Padawan stretched back more than a solid decade. Qui-gon meant more to Obi-wan than a simple teacher and was the closest that he had ever had as a father figure. No, their relationship wasn’t perfect but it still meant something to him. 

“Easy, Young One. I am here.” Qui-gon said as he put his hand at the side of Obi-wan’s face and the Padawan could only manage a slight nod of his head as he felt himself flinch as a Healer’s hand came awfully close to a broken rib. The Padawan knew that she could read his body and knew his injuries. “What could cause the collapse lung? Was it pierced?” Qui-gon Jinn asked and Obi-wan watched through his lashes as the Healer shook her head slowly from side to side. 

“Your Padawan has undergone a lot of trauma to his chest. It could have very easily been the intense bruising to his lungs that allowed one lung to collapse. The broken ribs that he has certainly didn’t help but those breaks are simple fractures and did not do any other damage to his vital organs.” The Healer supplied as she looked to Obi-wan so that he could clearly see the frown that creased her features. “Padawan, your oxygen levels are continuing to drop so we are going to get you in to the bacta tank now.” She warned and Obi-wan felt himself swallow hard as he prepared himself.

Obi-wan knew he would survive.

The Healers were practiced in their movements and Obi-wan felt his body take on a strange feel which immediately drew his attention. His eyes slid open and looked at the Healer who had inserted a needle in to his IV line and was injecting something in to him. They were sedating him. The bacta tank was notorious for inducing claustrophobia and they weren’t willing to take the risk of him aggravating his injuries should he panic in his weakened delirium. The sedative hit him like a stampeding bantha and Obi-wan felt his body waver. It was Qui-gon’s strong embrace that kept him from falling over and he felt his face press in to the soft and wrinkled fabric of his Master’s tunic. 

_ Rest. Meditate. Heal. _ Qui-gon’s thoughts rippled through the Force to him and Obi-wan managed a weak nod of his head to let his Master knew that he understood. That was his job at this point. He had done his duty in protecting the Queen so that mission was done...but part of him wondered what would happen now. The Queen would no doubt seek for the Senate to intervene on Naboo’s behalf but the Senate was slow to move and she would no doubt would receive resistance when it came to the Trade Federation and their many allies. Was the Queen aware that she had descended in to the Rancor’s den? He could only hope that she was prepared.

Padme’s smile flickered across his mind’s eye as he allowed himself to succumb. 

~~~~~~~~~~

“There we go. How are you feeling?” A kind voice half crooned as Obi-wan felt himself come to though he wasn’t as disoriented as he expected himself to be upon first waking up. The air was cold against his wet skin and he resisted the urge to shiver as he forced himself to rouse completely. He knew that he was still in the Halls of Healing and a quick scan of his surroundings showed that he was still in intensive care. The bacta tank loomed close by and Obi-wan realized he was on the bed, no doubt having been just removed from the tank itself. Obi-wan stifled a groan when he realized that he felt positively awful. All he could taste was the sickening sweetness of bacta in his mouth and he found himself wanting desperately to blow his nose free of it’s smell. 

Moving was a chore. 

His body was heavy  and he felt slightly disorientated as he moved his head. He knew that this was all residual symptoms from the bacta tank but that didn’t really make things any easier for him. Obi-wan felt himself grimace as he pulled an arm beneath his chest and sought to push himself up in to more of a sitting position as he collected himself. Despite the heaviness of his body and the slowness that he felt...there was no pain. He experimentally took a breath and was prepared for the sharp twist of the broken ribs or the heaviness of his chest but there was nothing. 

There must have been a measure of relief on Obi-wan’s face as he lifted a hand to stroke the expanse of his chest only to feel unbroken skin. “You put your body through quite the trip. It took nearly two whole days for you to heal your wounds.”

“What!?” Obi-wan half choked in surprise as he looked up to the Jedi Healer. Two whole days? He had only really anticipated it being closer to one day but it would have been longer if he had sustained other internal injuries than what he was aware of..Where was Master Qui-gon? What had happened in the two days he had been out? He sought out his Master through the Force and found him approaching. Qui-gon must have known that Obi-wan was being taken out of the bacta tank and was coming down to meet him. Through their training bond he felt his Master’s turmoil though specific thoughts evaded him. Qui-gon was angry, frustrated, and concerned though not about Obi-wan. His thoughts dwelled elsewhere...on someone else... 

The door to Obi-wan’s hospital room opened and the Padawan was greeted with both Qui-gon and the young boy Anakin. Obi-wan felt his eyebrows shoot up in surprise in seeing the boy. That was something he had not anticipated and he grew slightly concerned as he looked to his Master who entered half a step behind Anakin who walked slightly ahead of him. “Obi-wan, you look like you feel better! Your wounds are all gone. We were all worried about you when Qui-gon said that you had collapsed.” Anakin said as he walked up to the bed’s side and looked at Obi-wan’s chest that had been so horribly burned just mere days before. “Space Dust, you didn’t even scar!” Anakin admired but Obi-wan’s attention was divided between Anakin and his Master. 

Anakin wasn’t supposed to be here at the Temple….not unless Qui-gon was up to something. 

“We will talk later.” Qui-gon noted when he no doubt felt the grumblings coming across their bond. “I just spoke to the Council. Queen Amidala is returning back to Naboo. The meeting with the Senate did not go as well as she had hoped and so she is returning home. I don’t know what she has planned but I have been instructed to return with her.”

“You...have been instructed…” Obi-wan said slowly with an obvious frown tugging upon his features. “You intend to leave me here.” He said as he felt the answer through the Force and heard it behind Qui-gon’s words. He had said ‘I’ instead of ‘we’...he could sense it. Obi-wan was being left behind on this mission and it was not something he agreed with. “Master, I am healed.”

“I am taking Master Fisaro with me. I want you to remain here and continue your recovery. You’ve done well, my young Padawan, but now you need to rest.”

“Master, I want to go with you.” Obi-wan stated bluntly as he pushed himself fully in to a sitting position and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. “This is my mission as much as it is yours.” Obi-wan noted and he looked down at Anakin who stared up at him. The boy’s eyes looked back at him and he felt an incredible amount of sadness and worry from the child. A type of deep cutting sadness that was sent straight to his very core...something had happened to unnerve him deeply and the damage was fresh. It was very recent.

“It is up to your doctor to determine that.” Qui-gon said as he looked to the Jedi Healer who had taken to standing quietly at the head of Obi-wan’s bed and had been waiting quietly to be addressed. 

“Master Lima, tell him I am well enough. I am healed. You would not have pulled me from the bacta tank otherwise.” Obi-wan kept himself from all out begging to the Healer who looked at him mindfully. The Healer was a light blue Twi'lek and he could see her headtails twitching slightly as she reflected internally after he had pressed her. “Master Lima.”

“Be still, Padawan. Your Master has your best interests at heart. He would not wish your health to suffer on the account of a mission.” She said as she walked around the corner of the bed and Obi-wan felt the tickle of the Force around him as she lifted her hand and extended two fingers from her hand towards him. He felt a strong pulse of the Force at her fingertips and closed his eyes as he felt it press against his forehead. The Force’s touch almost felt warm to him as she examined him for any residual injuries and he could feel touch move from his forehead to his chest, pausing over his heart and lungs before moving on to his other vital organs. She did not move quickly and Obi-wan kept himself from pressuring her. She could very easily decide that he would have to remain in the Halls of Healing to recover completely from his ordeal. He honestly didn’t know if all of his strength had returned and probably wouldn’t figure that out until later once he had recovered from the residual effects from the bacta tank. 

“Well?” Anakin piped up hopefully as soon as Obi-wan felt the touch of the Force leave him and he opened his eyes to see the Jedi Healer smiling down at the boy. 

“As far as I can tell, his internal injuries have all healed. I cannot detect anything that could keep him from returning with you to Naboo, Master Qui-gon.” Lima said as she turned to the Jedi Master and looked at him over her shoulder. Obi-wan felt relief play across his face only to look to his Master and see that Qui-gon’s face was tilted downward in thought. 

“Master?” Obi-wan asked softly only for Qui-gon to lift his face and nod when he realized what was being said. 

“Very well then. I will let Master Fisaro know that his presence is no longer required. Ensure that you are washed and prepared to leave soon.” Master Qui-gon noted and Obi-wan saw a hand rest on the boy’s shoulder as a comforting measure seconds after Obi-wan sensed an overwhelming sense of conflict ion from him. Again, Obi-wan found himself beginning to suspect that something was not as it seemed. 

“Yes, Master.” Obi-wan said slowly and tried his best to censor his suspicion. He trusted his Master exponentially but there were times that he questioned his Master’s methods. Qui-gon was a masterful Jedi and would have no doubt been promoted to the Jedi Council. Instead, he was seemingly a constant thorn in the Council’s side. It was not that he enjoyed going against the rules but Qui-gon was of the thought that sometimes rules needed to be ignored. Sometimes the talk of the other Jedi quieted when he and Qui-gon entered the room. It stung painfully sometimes.

“In the meantime I will coordinate with Queen Amidala’s security and let them know that you will be joining us.” Qui-gon noted and Obi-wan could only nod his head slightly in agreement. No other conversation passed between Padawan and Master before everyone departed to go their own separate ways before they would meet up a few standard hours later. Obi-wan was quick to clean himself to rid himself of the smell of bacta (though there was no help for his sinuses and he knew that he would be smelling and tasting it for days), secure a clean uniform from his room, and replace his communicator which had somehow been misplaced during the trip. 

There was no surprise that he beat the rest of the Nubian crew back to the ship. They had managed to completely repair the ship of all the damage the craft had sustained in the mad dash to escape the Trade Federation’s blockade and the scant few days that they had spent on Tatooine. There was no doubt that his chest tightened as he remembered his time on the dusty planet. There were no fond memories of that place and he was glad to be free of all the sand though he suspected that he hadn’t gotten completely free of it. He was still finding some grains of sand in his hair from time to time.

Obi-wan felt his Master long before he ever saw the familiar form of Qui-gon Jinn. Their Force Bond was strong and had grown over the years. It was difficult to think that Qui-gon was nearing ‘old age’ and it was difficult enough for the Padawan to acknowledge that he could sometimes see his Master’s age slowly creeping up on him. It didn’t show often but it had been clear to him when Qui-gon had been greatly winded after his brief clash with the Queen’s unknown assailant. That was why Obi-wan felt such a strong need to be on this mission. Together they could beat back any attack that came at them...no one else knew his Master’s fighting style better than Obi-wan himself. Where Qui-gon had the fighting experience Obi-wan made up for his own shortcomings by sheer agility and stamina. Together they would win.

A calloused hand brushed through his short auburn hair before he folded the appendage in to the sleeves of his cloak as they billowed slightly due to the platform’s wind. He stood in the shadow of the ship by the ramp as security detail scanned the area attentively. They would not be safe until they got in to space and out of the planet’s gravitational well. It was during those quiet moments that he mulled the news that had happened during his time in the bacta tank. Queen Amidala had indeed addressed the Senate though the meeting had not proven all too fruitful as one might have hoped. An investigation had been launched in to the Trade Federation’s blockade which had lead to no small measure of objection from the Galaxy’s powerhouse. Queen Amidala herself was not pleased with the formation of the committee, according to Captain Panaka from what bits of conversation Obi-wan had managed to overhear, but had ultimately chosen to listen to Chancellor Valorum. 

Though the Senate was deadlocked due to bureaucracy and corruption there was still some maneuverability as far as the Chancellor was concerned. Obi-wan thought of Chancellor Valorem as quite a delicate tactician who would rather have people believe that he was powerless while he worked carefully behind the scenes. The evidence was there and would no doubt vindicate Queen Amidala’s claims concerning the Trade Federation, sadly it would just take time which they might not have. They had to be careful and patient.

Which concerned him why Queen Amidala was so keen on returning home. If she was caught than no doubt the Trade Federation would force her to sign the treaty. Naboo was a peaceful planet with no large armies. There was nothing available to them, whether they be man or machine, that would help them push the occupying forces back. 

These internal debates quieted as he saw the speeder approach the landing pad. He could see his Master’s silver streaked hair in the wind as well as the bright fabric of the Queen’s handmaidens and the Queen’s own dark ceremonial dress. Obi-wan felt his eyes searching for Padme’s face but the hoods of their robes shadowed their features in the dim evening light and hid their faces. He could not pinpoint her in the small crowd as they ushered forward but he could pick out her presence as they all marched forward towards the Nubian ship. Master Qui-gon and Anakin trailed behind the group but paused momentarily to share a private moment before Obi-wan approached his Master. The Padawan felt a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth as he looked at the young boy who looked rather put-out and diminished like before. He wasn’t that bright and bubbly boy like previously. Something had happened.  “Master,” Obi-wan greeted softly and did not miss as Qui-gon gave Anakin a subtle push with a hand towards the ship. 

So the boy was coming with them after all. 

“Master, w-” Obi-wan started only for Qui-gon to raise his hand to stop him. 

“Anakin is coming with us.” His Master supplied and Obi-wan felt the slight clench of his molars in the back of his mouth. His Master was stonewalling him for some reason.

“I see no point in why he should.” Obi-wan countered though he took no steps to hide his displeasure. This was no place for a child. They were likely heading in to a war zone. They all risked death on this dangerous mission. “It’s too dangerous, Master.”

“I will protect him,” Qui-gon supplied and Obi-wan felt himself almost shudder in frustration. His Master was hiding something and it seemingly clicked in to place. He could feel his brows shoot up in surprise. How could he have forgotten? The podrace. Anakin Skywalker had won the podrace which was impossible for a child. 

“You had him tested.” Obi-wan said slowly and saw the eyebrows of his Master knit together tightly. So he was right. Frustration bloomed in his chest at the realization that his Master had picked up another pity project. He sighed, “Master Qui-gon…” Obi-wan not prepared for the sharpness at which Qui-gon cut him off and his words threatened to hiss out between the older man’s teeth as the air filled with Qui-gon’s presence. Obi-wan had found a fresh wound unknowingly.

“Get on the ship.” Master Qui-gon bit out sharply and Obi-wan felt his eyes widen in surprise as he stared in to his Master’s steely eyes. There would be no argument. Obi-wan was going to get onto the ship without another word. Obi-wan pulled himself back in to a calm facade to hide the blistering hurt from manifesting on his features. Something had happened to upset and frustrate his Master. What had happened with the Council? What was said? The ship’s interior and the smell of recycled air greeted him as he boarded. He decided it was best to steer clear of his Master until he had calmed down. He hesitated to touch the bond that bound them to check on his Master and try to garner some answers from his Master’s feelings but when he finally did touch the thin thread he felt little save for his Master’s presence in the Force. 

Qui-gon was filtering what Obi-wan could feel and that meant something big. Something that Qui-gon was guarding very closely.

Obi-wan could feel the shudder of the Nubian ship as the landing gears disengaging as he monitored the hyperdrive from the console in the engine room. It was slightly humorous to him that it was only a week ago that he had almost been killed in his room. The superheated coolant, if it had caught him in the face, could have killed him. He did not fear death but only what his death would mean for the safety of others that depended upon him. Dying was easy, it was living that was the hardest part.

“So here you are.” Captain Panaka said slowly as he approached and Obi-wan gave him a courtesy glance over his shoulder. He had felt Captain Panaka’s presence at the door and it had only been a measure of time before the older man approached. The two had not spoken since he had returned from rescuing the Queen. Most of the older gentleman’s conversations had been with Qui-gon since he was the guiding force for the better part of their trip. “Are you still healing or…”

“No, I am well as can be expected.” Obi-wan said as he pulled away from the console where he had leaned his palms against the sides of the monitor in order to stretch the stiffness from his shoulders. He looked to Panakaas he approached and saw the man’s limp had almost disappeared as well, no doubt having taken advantage of a bacta tank while on Coruscant as well.

“Master Jinn had said that you had collapsed after we arrived.” Panaka said slowly and Obi-wan bobbed his head in agreement. “I didn’t...know...you had been that injured. The burns, yes, but..” Obi-wan felt the corner of his mouth tilt upwards slightly when he realized what Panaka was doing. He was trying to apologize. The man had possessed so much venom towards him before only because he had taken upon the entire weight of Naboo’s hope in to his hands. Obi-wan knew that he had been an easy target and ultimately had not blamed Panaka for his outbursts. 

“It is alright, Captain. I wasn’t entirely forthcoming with the severity of my injuries as well.” Obi-wan said with a slight smile upon his features and held out a hand to the gentleman. They were allies in this fight and not enemies. There was water, whether it was under the bridge or over it. Panaka’s grip was tight but resolute and Obi-wan had a feeling that they understood each other a little better now.

The dark skinned man smirked slightly, “I think the Queen knows a bit more than what she’s letting on. As soon as we get in to space I think she’ll hold a meeting to bring us up to date.” He supplied and Obi-wan felt his brow tease upwards slightly. So not even Panaka knew what was going on? The Queen was holding the cards close to her chest if her security captain didn’t know anything. Obi-wan made a small noise of agreement and the two men made their way back to the main part of the ship. It was in the galley that Obi-wan caught Anakin and Padme talking softly. He was quiet as he walked over but Padme caught sight of him over the top of Anakin’s head and he could not stop a smile as she looked up at him. Her own smile graced her features but they quickly returned back to her concerned expression as she looked back to Anakin. The boy was visibly upset. 

Obi-wan stepped forward just in time to catch the words that he was not prepared to hear. 

“And then the Council said that Master Qui-gon couldn’t take me on as his Padawan. He tried, he really tried, but the Council said no.” Anakin bemoaned as he raised a sleeve to his eyes to fight away the mist that clouded his vision. “I really wanted to be a Jedi. It’s what I always dreamed.”

Obi-wan felt himself start. Everything in his body went rigid and there was no denying that his face betrayed his surprise but also something else. The boy’s words were like a punch to the chest and the ability to breathe was momentarily stolen from him. “I’m so sorry, Anakin.” Padme said as she lifted a hand to touch Anakin’s hair but Obi-wan didn’t see that. All he could see was growing shades of red. That was what his Master had stonewalled him about. He was fresh from the Council having rejected his request to train the boy. Qui-gon had the boy tested for Force sensitivity and he had passed but was rejected to be trained. Obi-wan knew that he was too old to be trained, that certain life lessons and thoughts had already been deeply ingrained in to the child’s mind. Instead Qui-gon was planning to train him against the wishes of the Council...to train him as a Padawan.  _ But I am his Padawan... _

Qui-gon was trying to replace him.

The Padawan snatched his arm to the side only to feel Qui-gon’s tight grip narrowly miss his elbow as his Padawan turned on him with a snarl. “So, this was what you were going to talk to me about later.” Obi-wan hissed. The sound of his angry spat drew Padme’s and Anakin’s attention whose eyes went wide when he realized that Obi-wan had been standing behind him. He did not avoid another grab which secured his elbow in his Master’s grasp. His Master’s steps quickly covered the short distance to the cargo bay thus dragging Obi-wan with him. The lock of the door resounded with a solid thunk which signaled the gloves coming off. “I can’t believe this! You’ll throw everything away for a boy you just met? You are going against the Council. You are going to train the boy against their wishes.” Obi-wan said although his voice threatened to hitch with disbelief. This wasn’t happening. 

“He is the Chosen One, my young Padawan.” Qui-gon growled as Obi-wan paced aggressively from one side of the narrow cargo bay to the other. At that Obi-wan spun on his Master and pointed a finger at Qui-gon’s chest. 

“Am I your Padawan, Master? You tried to take the boy as a Padawan which is against the Code. You would not have tried if you thought you couldn’t do it. You must have tried to get the Council to approve my trials. You! You are the one that said that I was not ready three weeks ago when the Council petitioned you to begin. Yet now? Now you can’t get rid of me!” Obi-wan verbally charged and he saw the darkening of Qui-gon’s face. His Master was angry and upset, just as Obi-wan felt but there was something that Qui-gon did not feel. Betrayal. It burned deep and hot in Obi-wan’s chest like a glowing fire coal until it felt as if his very insides were on fire. There was a reason why Obi-wan felt the way that he did. It had taken him everything, nearly losing his life, for Qui-gon Jinn to make him his Padawan….and now Qui-gon was going to throw him away just as quickly upon finding the supposed ‘Chosen One’. Qui-gon was risking everything, everything he believed in, even the Order itself. 

If he did teach the boy…the Council would expel him. It was a grievance that they would not overlook.

“You speak of things that you do not know of, Obi-wan. He is the Chosen One and it was the will of the Force that I found him.”

“Will of the Force,” Obi-wan barked bitterly, “The Chosen One is a myth! A fairytale! How many times has it been retold? Recounted? How can you be so sure?” The Padawan asked as he threw his hands up and angrily gestured to the door as he caught sight of a messy head of blonde hair dodge out of sight. “That boy,” Obi-wan managed to force out, “will endanger us and the mission. He will get us all killed because you won’t allow yourself to-”

“Enough.” Qui-gon ordered. The strength of Qui-gon’s voice behind the single word was like a physical blow and Obi-wan felt himself start with the finality of it. “We will speak no more of this, understand? No. More. My decision is final. The boy will stay with us and you had better be mindful of your feelings, my young Padawan.” Qui-gon said softly but his anger was evident. Obi-wan could feel the heat behind his eyes as he pressed his lips together in a thin line. 

“Yes, Master.” Came the reply but the words were hot. Obi-wan was the first to exit the cargo bay and he caught the sight of Anakin attempting to make himself smaller in the recess of the wall by the door. He would be ashamed later of the heated look that he gave the boy. It was not his fault that Qui-gon had taken to him so passionately but he had. It was only a second but Obi-wan admitted that he hated the child and didn’t want him there. Life had been far less messy before meeting Anakin Skywalker. 

The boy’s blue eyes stared up at him and Obi-wan felt a huff of indifference pass through his lips before he stalked forward. He had to get away from the boy, away from Qui-gon….but there was no where to go far enough on the tiny ship. Padme found him a short time later in the cockpit as he brewed with the thoughts in his head. His jaw visibly clenched and tightened as he drifted from one frustrating and hurtful thought to the next. 

Qui-gon didn’t want him any more.

Obi-wan bit his lip sharply as he recalled the long conversations that he had once had with Qui-gon in years past. Qui-gon intended for Obi-wan to be his last Padawan. The young man had been slightly disappointed when his Master had said that, believing that his Master was a great Jedi, but understood. He had been with Qui-gon more than twelve standard years as a Padawan and had seen his Master’s hair slowly turn gray. He had been excited when he had been there with Qui-gon in front of the Council as they tried to coax Qui-gon to allow Obi-wan to go through the Trials of Knighthood. Though there was a little disappointment when Qui-gon had said no, he wasn’t concerned because he felt no rush in leaving his Master’s side. 

Now everything was in doubt. It hurt.

A soft touch on his arm drew him out of his thoughts as he watched the stars flash past as the ship zipped along the hyperspace lane. Obi-wan looked down at Padme and saw her concerned face and empathetic eyes. Obi-wan felt like he had been punched and turned his face to look back at the ship’s windows. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Obi-wan mumbled though he could not stop the bitterness that squeezed past his lips. 

“I know,” Padme said as she stood close enough to him to keep out of the way in the small cockpit. “If you ever do, I am here.” She said softly and looked up at him. A measure of calm wormed its way in to his chest and Obi-wan forced himself to draw in a breath. It was a breath that he had not realized he had been holding on to. 

“Thank you.” Obi-wan said slowly as he looked to her as he raised a hand to his temple as he looked at her. He examined her carefully and saw something in her hand. “What is that?” He asked as he gestured to her hand where she had a length of leather cord wrapped around her palm. She put in his hand to examine and he was surprised to see the crude pendant in his palm. It was not something she would have picked up during her time in Coruscant. “This is from Tatooine, isn’t it?” He questioned as he lifted the piece up in to the light so he could examine it better. It was made by a sharp tool and the pendant was not heavy at all which made him think that the material was organic in nature. “It is beautiful.”

“Mmm,” Padme sighed softly as she leaned her cheek slightly against his arm to examine the piece with him. “The boy made it. He's honestly a good kid...” She supplied before Obi-wan carefully dropped it back in to his palm as if to weight it. He tried to keep his look from souring at mention of the child as he handed it back to her. The child had all but been glued to Padme's side since he joined the group. “It does remind me of our adventures on Tatooine...it was pretty despite-”

“The near constant threat of death and mutilation?” Obi-wan said with a smirk as he looked at her through the corner of his eyes. She snorted softly to hide her humor and he felt her elbow jab at the soft hollow of his side to get back at him. Yes, the desert had been beautiful but he preferred the cool air of the mountains. “Your Queen is very brave. I don’t think many would be brave enough to return to their planet to attempt their liberation,” Obi-wan noted and he saw Padme smirk to herself softly, “Either brave or very foolish.” He amended softly.

“Perhaps a bit of both.” Padme smiled and Obi-wan felt his own smile tug at his features. The hurt and betrayal from earlier was momentarily forgotten but not for long. His Master’s presence close by wiped all humor from his face and Obi-wan felt his face broil with the tension he felt. Padme saw his conflict ion as his eyes lingered upon the door, half expecting his Master to come in, but he never did. Instead his Master’s presence moved away from the door further back into the ship and towards the cargo hold. Obi-wan looked back at the handmaiden at his side and saw her eyes reflecting concern and sadness. “Sometimes those that care about us the most wound us the most deeply. I am sure your Master never intended for things to happen the way that they did. Try to talk to him when you are both a little less angry and upset.” She spoke softly and Obi-wan stared at her hard. “Promise me that you will.”

“You know something that I don’t,” Obi-wan said slowly and tried to keep his words from sounding accusatory She shook her head slightly from side to side and he looked to the Force for help. Her mind was strong though and he could not get a good thread as far as her thoughts lingered but he could garner that she was sad. 

Obi-wan felt a sigh blow past his lips as he took careful inventory of his feelings. Hurt and betrayal licked at his insides still and he wasn’t all too sure that he could look at his Master or Anakin without feeling his anger flare up again. The wound was too raw. He looked in to Padme’s eyes after a moment and gave a slight nod of his head to signify his promise that he would. He could not utter the words but he would even if it took a few days for him to cool off. 

In the end it was nearly three days before Obi-wan could bring himself to be in the room with his Master. For days their conversations had been reserved for other people. His Master spent a vast majority of his time with Anakin (which ultimately had not helped Obi-wan’s mood) teaching the child about the base Jedi theology. It wasn’t until they began their arrival in to Naboo’s solar system that Obi-wan found himself sharing more and more time with his Master despite not speaking to him. There was only so long that Obi-wan could find himself being mad at his Master before he found himself craving Qui-gon’s presence. They had not spent nearly twelve years together as Master and Padawan to let their relationship combust over a single shatter point. Obi-wan knew that Padme had been right...that Qui-gon had not intentionally meant to hurt him. 

The easement out of hyperspace drew Obi-wan out of his thoughts as the Jedi watched the open space around Naboo where only a single Trade Federation ship hoovered just outside of the planet’s gravity well. “You don’t need a lot of blockade ships when you’re the one that controls the port,” Qui-gon noted dryly with a frown as his dark eyes examined the droid command ship. Obi-wan felt a similar frown teasing his own features. It was in that moment that he felt himself reaching for his Master through their Force Bond by habit. He knew that he often did this to gain some measure of reassurance from his Master. It had been far too long since he allowed himself to do so. The last time he had willingly sought out his Master through the Force was before their big fight right after leaving Coruscant. Obi-wan braced himself for a thought block as he reached for his Master but was instead surprised with what he felt. 

Qui-gon was reaching for him just as Obi-wan was extended his own presence through the Force. The two presences touched for a brief moment to allow for the sharing of feelings between them before they withdrew. Obi-wan felt himself relax a little bit. Qui-gon was not angry with him any more though there was still much to say between them. There would be time to talk but it would be later, probably as the Queen compiled and organized her forces. No doubt there would be a moment where the Jedi could take a moment with no other ears listening about them. The Jedi were there only for her protection now and nothing more. Obi-wan caught Qui-gon’s gaze from the corner of his own eye and he nodded his head slightly in recognition. Soon. They would speak soon.

The emotions that broiled around them were sadly a familiar one, Obi-wan noted as he stood by Qui-gon several standard hours later. Everyone was prepared for war despite their few resources. The marsh was dim in the early morning hours and the water hardly made a sound against the side of the vast lake. Their boots threatened to sink in the thick mud and the Jedi had sought out a patch of sturdier ground as they waited for the Gungan of their group to return from the underwater city. Anakin was almost tucked up under Padme’s side as she stood by the Queen and Obi-wan sensed that the boy was still wary of him since his fight with Qui-gon days prior. Certainly Obi-wan did not fault him for that. The Padawan had taken no real steps to mend that bridge...not yet at least. It wasn’t the child’s fault that all of this was happening and Obi-wan knew that it had been wrong to blame the child. At least he could admit that much...

“Master, I am sorry for the way that I have been acting.” Obi-wan said softly and kept his eyes securely fixed upon the Queen though his entire attention was focused upon that of his Master. “I am ashamed.” He could hear Qui-gon take in a deep breath and he knew that his Master was chewing upon his words. There would be a lesson here just like there always was. Qui-gon was a very wise Master. 

“I spoke true, my Padawan. I do believe that this boy is the Chosen One. I was not quick enough to explain the situation to you and for that I apologize.” Qui-gon said softly and Obi-wan nodded his head slightly in understanding. The timing of things had been bad and Obi-wan knew that it had never been Qui-gon’s intention for him to hear about the Council meeting from Anakin. Obi-wan’s injuries had caused a lot of problems it seemed. He could only speculate what would have happened if he had been with his Master from beginning to end. 

Even still….Qui-gon was not going to give up on Anakin Skywalker. Obi-wan felt the resolve in his Master and it resonated with such ferocity that it took Obi-wan back. Never had he felt such determination from his Master concerning anything or anyone. Qui-gon was prepared to fight the entire Council to train the boy. 

As if sensing Obi-wan’s conflict ion, Qui-gon turned and Obi-wan lifted his eyes to his Master’s face. “Obi-wan,” Qui-gon said softly and lifted a hand to place on his Padawan’s shoulder. Obi-wan was grateful for the touch and did not shrug away the heavy palm. It was then that he saw his Master’s eyes dilate and his face grow pale. Qui-gon’s eyes looked through him and locked on something that Obi-wan himself could not see. Obi-wan bit the inside of his cheek and waited for his Master’s mind to clear from the Force vision. They were rare even for the most talented of Jedi. When it did, Qui-gon almost doubled over as if he had been struck and Obi-wan thought he looked sick. 

“Master?” Obi-wan pressed as Qui-gon’s grip tightened around his shoulder and bunched the fabric there until the flesh beneath his fingers threatened to bruise. The pressure all at once was released when Qui-gon gained better awareness of his surroundings and realized where he was. Obi-wan could only step closer to shield Qui-gon from others should they look back and see the Jedi Master’s half doubled over form. The Jedi moved a bit further back to the shelter of some spindly trees where they were not so easily seen. “Master, what did you see?”

“Images...just a bombardment of images…” Qui-gon muttered as he reached for a tree to steady himself and wiped a sleeve across his brow where a cold sweat had quickly broken out. He pursed his lips slightly before spitting and Obi-wan suspected that his Master had become slightly ill from the vision. The strength of it must have been immense and he saw a haunted look in his Master’s eyes as the older man looked at him hard before the look was gone. Obi-wan had a bad feeling creep in to his chest though he tried to brush it away.

“Anything about the mission?” Obi-wan questioned only to see his Master shake his head no. The Padawan wanted to press harder about the visions but his Master appeared ill at ease and unwilling to talk. Already Qui-gon’s brows were knitted tightly together as his arms crossed in front of his chest to brood. Something about the vision had unsettled his Master. His Master was typically unflappable and so he knew that it was a serious matter. 

“It appears as though Jar-Jar has returned,” Qui-gon noted after a moment or two and Obi-wan looked back at the rest of their group only to see Jar-Jar’s head poking up out of the water as he made his way back towards shore. “Let’s join the rest of the group. We will speak more later.” His Master supplied and Obi-wan agreed softly and so followed his Master back to the group. Things were becoming complicated for an already complicated matter. The vision was pushed back from the forefront of Obi-wan’s mind as they listened to Jar-Jar’s statements about the empty underwater city. His hand stroked his chin and he looked to the Force for clues. 

“Do you think they’ve been taken to the camps?” The Padawan asked softly only for Panaka speak up with a frown.   


“Or it may be that they had all been wiped out,” Panaka noted only for the Gungan to quickly disagree. The creature’s billed face was worried but not unresolved. The Queen was putting a lot of faith in to the Nubian swamp native and he was having a feeling that her faith was not misplaced. Padme caught his eye and he allowed a slight wink as he straightened himself and folded his hands within his robe. She had seen the Jedi speaking together and he saw a bit of relief flash across her face. They had not said much but Obi-wan was feeling better about the situation. They had both managed to apologize though Obi-wan felt sure that Qui-gon would speak to him more after the mission about what the future would hold for them. That was his hope, anyways.


	8. Saying Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys! Here is Chapter 8. I am sorry that it took such a long time in coming but holidays, ya know? Leave a comment to let me know how you are enjoying it so far.

The air within the throne room was thick. The Trade Federation’s Nute Gunray and his small group of Neimoidian lackies had already been led away. The planet of Naboo was freed and already there were reports coming in across the city as the concentration camps were liberated. It helped that all of the security for the Trade Federation were droids so there was no fight once the control ship had been destroyed. Fragmented stories of what had happened were trickling through communication lines. A lot of it was good news and some of it wasn’t. 

The Gungan Grand army had suffered massive casualties and preliminary numbers put the dead at no more than six hundred lives. The Nubians themselves had lost over two dozen men between both the space battle and the skirmishes within the city. So many dead…

And they still had no word concerning the Jedi protectors, Master Qui-gon Jinn and Padawan Obi-wan Kenobi.

Padme looked over to Panaka who stood with a grim look upon his dark features as they listened to the reports. The robed assassin had drawn the Jedi off and kept from the main part of the battle. The prolonged radio silence was concerning if nothing else. Padme forced herself to unball her fists from her lap as she listened to another report concerning the location of a ninth concentration camp. Thankfully the civilian casualties were low according to most reports. Most of the deaths had occurred during the invasion by the Trade Federation. Padme suspected it was because Naboo was peaceful. They had been such an easy target but the Trade Federation had not anticipated that the young Queen would fight back.

A stir of motion from Panaka drew all of Padme’s attention and she watched as his hand went to a small bud  within his left ear as he tilted his head to the side as if to listen harder. His brow became marred deeply with lines as his eyes pressed shut. Padme immediately felt as though someone had struck her in the stomach hard enough to drive the air from her lungs. She forced herself to breathe. Good news? Bad news? “What is it, Captain?” Padme pressed although she kept her voice low to avoid drawing attention to themselves. 

“The palace security found the Jedi. The enemy threat has been neutralized. They are coming up the service elevators now.” Panaka supplied softly in a low voice and Padme felt herself start in surprise. She had been worried for nothing or so it seemed. Already she was rising and making her way to the door. They were alive, the Jedi were alive...they had managed to beat the assassin. Padme was not prepared to feel Panaka grab her by the arm and pull her back a step. It was then that she got a good look at the older man’s face and saw the sadness in his eyes. “Padme...it’s not good.” He breathed.

Padme felt a numbness creep across her skin starting from the base of her skull and stretching until even her fingers were numb. She could feel her breathing stall in her chest as she struggled to absorb her security captain’s words. Her Jedi were dead. She felt Panaka grab her other arm to steady her so that she could regain herself. Her friend was gone. Obi-wan was gone. “We must go to meet them.” Padme said slowly as she forced herself to breathe instead of crying. She had a job to do...they made sure of it. They had given up their lives so that she could do what she needed to. Panaka wordlessly agreed and the two walked in somber silence down the long hallways. 

It was in times like this that Padme was glad to not be recognized. The heavy makeuped face of Queen Amidala was so well known that the plain and dirtied face of a handmaiden after battle did not earn a second glance from passersby. Padme forced herself to take in a deep breath as she waited in front of the service elevators tucked into the side of the wall. There were two located side by side and she knew that both would be occupied. A single hoover gurney was large enough to take up almost one elevator by itself. 

The first set of faces that she saw as the metal doors of the first elevator opened were exhausted and emotionally worn. Padme could almost not bear to look at the covered body as they guided it out of the elevator and allowed it to pause so that she could pay her respects. “We need to call the Jedi Order and tell them what happened…” Padme said numbly as she reached for the edge of the black sheet to look at the Jedi’s face. She wanted to look at them, to know their sacrifice, to-

A solid hand squeezed her shoulder. It was came as a surprise and she turned to look at it’s owner only to see the darkened features of Obi-wan from beneath his hood. “Obi-wan!” Padme exclaimed and found herself reaching for him without much thought. Her arms found their way around his neck and she pulled him into a hug whether he really wanted one or not. Her heart cried out in relief but at the same time a sickening feeling settled in her heart and her chest as she hugged the Jedi Padawan tightly. Obi-wan was alive...but his Master… “Obi-wan, I am so sorry.” Padme said as she pulled away from him gave him several inches of space. It was then that she realized that he had not reached to hug her back... and when his eyes looked to her she saw nothing save for a mental disconnect.

“I humbly ask, your Highness, for a chance to contact the Jedi Order to debrief them on the state of the mission. They would want to know of my Master Jinn’s passing.” Obi-wan spoke softly and Padme felt herself bite the inside of her lip as she felt her stomach lurch. 

“Of course,” Padme said softly and sickeningly realized that Obi-wan was barely functioning. It was through sheer will alone that he was able to string sentences together. “Do you wish for me to send for Anakin?”

“No, not right now.” Obi-wan said numbly and Padme saw a flicker of grief across the Padawan’s eyes. She wanted desperately to touch him again, to reassure him that she was there for him, but she had already lost control of herself once upon seeing him alive. They still had work to do. “Keep him distracted for the present. I need...time...before telling him.” The Jedi Padawan said slowly and Padme could only nod her head softly. She had seen Anakin only briefly a few moments prior when the pilots had landed victorious but that had been through a holoscreen. 

“Obi-wan, if there is anything…” 

“There is nothing that can to be done. I would only ask to use a funeral pyre in the coming days.” Obi-wan stated simply Padme could feel fresh hurt welling up in her at the truth of his statement. “I must speak to the Council if you would be so kind to allow me to use your communication network.” 

“Of course,” Panaka replied quickly when he caught Obi-wan’s gaze honed in on him. The Padawan was politely ending the conversation as best he could and Padme could only nod to her Security Captain to proceed.“If you’ll follow me this way, Jedi, I will lead you to a private communication room. Do you need medical atten-” The voices dropped off as they ventured away from the elevators and turned the corner. Padme was left with the few men that had remained from the lift with Qui-gon’s body. She turned to men and felt all of their eyes on her. In her chest she could feel her heart breaking as she looked at the dark fabric that covered the Jedi Master’s deceased form. 

“Master Qui-gon, I never meant for this to happen. I am so sorry.” Padme whispered as her hand hovered above the Jedi’s covered face. She felt the hot guilt press against the back of her throat as she curled her fingers in to a fist before looking at the men waiting before slightly nodding her head. “Take him to the morgue. We will provide a funeral for our Jedi protector. See to it that the mortician knows that his Padawan will probably be paying a visit later.” She said as she turned to walk back to the command system. 

It was a minute or two after walking that she felt a quake in her steps. Padme Amidala slipped in to an empty side room and locked the door behind her. It was then as she pulled her hand away from the lock that she saw her fingers trembling. The harder she fought the shakes, the worse they became. “Stop it. Just stop it.” She hissed angrily to herself but there was no stopping the tears that began to well up in her eyes. She felt them coming. They burned against her lashes and cheeks as they spilled. Obi-wan’s haunted eyes had looked through her in the hallway. Empty. Lost. She balled her fists and shoved them hard against her eyes as she leaned back against the door only to cry for her friend. His Master, his mentor, his friend...was dead...because of the fact that she had chosen to fight. “Please forgive me.” She sobbed softly to the quiet of the room. There was nothing but quiet….

Ultimately it was almost three days before the Chancellor Valorem and the members of the Jedi Order arrived on Naboo, courtesy of the Chancellor’s powerful ship. It would have taken a week on a regular cruise ship but exceptions had to be made. The time had drug on slowly for those on Naboo as they waited. Obi-wan Kenobi still served as her protector during recovery efforts to ensure that no other attacks would occur in retaliation for their success against the Trade Federation. Anakin Skywalker was ultimately told of Qui-gon’s passing the evening of the first day but from what Padme heard from others was that it had not gone well despite Obi-wan's best efforts. Ultimately the little boy had sought her out and she sought to console him until he had fallen asleep after crying himself past the point of exhaustion. After that Obi-wan made sure that Anakin was out of the way of the recovery efforts that were still going on. Padme made sure that Obi-wan knew that Anakin had a place on Naboo and that he would be cared for but the Jedi Padawan was in no real mood to talk about Anakin's fate at that time so Padme had been forced to drop the subject.

In all honestly, Obi-wan Kenobi had spoken to her very little since the death of his Master outside of ‘work’. The young Queen tried her best to keep from blaming herself but it was hard not to. Master Qui-gon Jinn had left his Padawan ill prepared for his death, she realized after a day or two. Padme watched Obi-wan through the corner of her eye when she thought that he wouldn’t notice and saw that he was often lost in thought. Obi-wan had been forced to grow up without warning and he was struggling with it though he tried to hide it. She would have been lying if she denied watching the video of the fight with Panaka. She didn’t have the permissions for the security cameras and so had made Panaka pull them up so she could see them. It was something that she regretted. Obi-wan’s strangled cries as his Master faded from life still haunted her dreams at night.

“There is the Chancellor’s craft.” Obi-wan cooly observed from his place at her side. The warm sun of Naboo fought off the chill of the planet’s early morning and threatened to make the heavily brochaded and velvetted dress almost too hot for her to wear. Queen Amidala still wore the dark colors of mourning as required for the three days of national mourning that she had declared after Naboo had regained its freedom from the Trade Federation in light of the lives that had been lost.

Tonight was scheduled the state funeral of Master Qui-gon Jinn and Padme had begun to brace herself emotionally for it starting earlier that morning. She, with the rest of the Nubian and Gungan leadership, would escort the Jedi Master’s body to the city’s  funeral pyre that overlooked the capital’s waterfalls. Obi-wan had initially been against the funeral, preferring a smaller and private service instead of a public one, but Panaka had convinced the Padawan otherwise. It was only right that Naboo pay their respects to the fallen Jedi Master.

“Who is he?” Came a small voice and Padme turned her head slightly to look at Anakin who stood sandwiched between her and Obi-wan Kenobi as they waited for the ship to unload. Both Senator Palpatine, Chancellor Valorum, and members of the Jedi Order were on board. 

“Chancellor Valorum is the Head of Government for the Republic,” Obi-wan noted though he did look down as he spoke. Padme could see that Anakin had no love for Obi-wan in the moment by the way that Anakin only glanced at the Padawan. The hurt of Qui-gon’s passing had wounded Anakin deeply and she wondered if Anakin blamed Obi-wan for not doing enough. Her heart broke at the thought and tried to dismiss it. She was coming to learn that grief could change a person in to someone else. Anakin had been so happy days prior and now he was sullen. Every once and a while, she would catch glimpses of the old Anakin but they were far and few between. 

And Obi-wan…

The ramp hissed as it was lowered and Padme Amidala watched as Obi-wan walked ahead to the transport and bowed low to the Supreme Chancellor. Anakin followed on his heels and followed Obi-wan’s movements although he lacked the practiced fluidity that Obi-wan possessed. A few brief words were spoken between the Chancellor and Obi-wan before those from the Jedi Order descended down the ramp. There were seven Jedi in total but only one that she realized that she knew. He greeted her after Senator Palpatine and Chancellor Valorum had and she bowed slightly to the small green Master Jedi. “I am honored by your presence but am saddened for the reason, Master Yoda.” She said softly as the centuries old alien steadied his walking staff in front of him and gripped it’s round handle with both of his clawed hands. 

“Saddened by Master Qui-gon’s loss, are we. For honoring his sacrifice, we thank you.” The Master Jedi said softly. His aged voice cracked slightly and she was surprised that it was as low as it was. It stretched deep and Padme found her sadness perhaps a little more bearable. She looked in to the Master Jedi’s deep eyes before bowing her head slightly in appreciation. A few more pleasantries were exchanged between the company before the Jedi split off with Obi-wan and Anakin Skywalker in tow while she walked with Chancellor Valorum and Senator Palpatine so that they could see the damage done during the occupation and steps that Naboo was taking to clean up the mess that was left behind. 

Chancellor Valorum scowled deeply as he looked at the deactivated remains of a standard Trade Federation droid. It’s metallic body had been displayed in the courtyard with several others. “How many?” The older man spoke with a frown as he twisted and turned the droid’s lifeless head. 

“Estimates put the droid’s occupation forces at 300,000. The Gungan Grand Army and our security reported that the droids were slow to respond perhaps in part to the Trade Federation keeping only one droid command ship in orbit. We were fortunate in that regard. We could have potentially had more casualties if the droid army had been at full capacity.” Queen Amidala said slowly as she watched Senator Palpatine go off to examine one of the Destroyer droids.

“And what of the assassin that killed Master Qui-gon Jinn?” The Senator asked with a soft frown on his features as he turned to look at her, seemingly disturbed by the sight of the droids. “Have you recovered the body?”

Padme Amidala could only shake her head slightly from side to side. “Security had tried to recover the body from Theed’s cooling core after it was determined that Obi-wan killed him at the end of the fight but nothing had come of it. They had found some tattered fabric on a metal hook used for maintenance but nothing else had been recovered. They had told me that it was likely that the body had fallen in to the disposal dumpsters below the plant and had been removed with the trash.” Padme explained only for her to see a soft snort contort Palpatine’s features as he shook his head slightly from side to side in disgust. 

“Perhaps it is better for that monster’s body to rot among the garbage.” He said before he came over and laid a hand upon Padme’s shoulder before looking at her warmly. “I am very proud of what you have accomplished. I thought you had given yourself up for martyrdom when you told me you were returning to Naboo. Your people look up to you now even more than before. They were right to choose you as Queen.”

“Thank you, Senator.” Padme said with a soft smile but she still felt troubled. So many lives had been lost. She had already spent a better part of a day and a half writing out condolence letters for the families who had lost loved ones during the invasion and liberation. It was a small penance to pay in her opinion but it was all that she could do. 

The rest of the day was painfully uneventful and filled with politics. She loved politics but her heart grew heavier the lower the sun sank. Chancellor Valorum and Senator Palpatine retreated to get ready for Master Jinn’s funeral as the hour loomed. Padme felt numb as her handmaidens dressed her for the funeral. The black dress that they had picked was heavily fabricked with velvet and brocade. It’s black tone had deep underlying purple undertones with other subdued fabrics for the sleeves and side panels. It’s weight seemed fitting for the task at hand. 

The Queen allowed a long and soft sigh to pass through her features as the headdress was placed over her head and allowed to settle along the edge of her brow before the woven head tails were allowed to fall over the front of her shoulders. Great care was given to ensure that all of her hair was hidden before she was given the final stamp of approval by her handmaidens. They too were dressed in black though hints of silver played along the edges of their robes. How she longed to be hidden away as a handmaiden now...to have the hood to hide her face so that she might grieve privately if only for a moment. As Queen she had to be strong for everyone else around her if they faltered. As much as she hated the reality, she had known that her role as Queen would be taxing even at the best of times. Her parents had tried so hard to convince her to not run for Queen but she had done so with their reluctant blessing. 

“Captain Panaka is here to escort you to the procession, m’lady.” Rabé said softly from her side and Padme felt a small note of surprise somewhere in her chest. She had almost expected Obi-wan to come for her but she corrected herself a split second later. His mission had concluded with the arrival of the Jedi Masters to Naboo. The security that Chancellor Valorum was more than adequate to protect her as was the palace security. She had no need for a Jedi protector now....

The procession was painfully somber as it wove its way through the city from the Palace to Theed’s Funeral Temple on the outskirts of the city. The walk was slow and citizens of Theed gathered along the sides of the procession. Some people tossed flowers beneath the feet of the procession as they passed and so released a soft scent into the air as they were ground under heel as people walked over them. She watched Obi-wan’s cloaked form as he walked with the other robed Jedi in front of her. His hood was drawn up over his head and she somehow knew that his eyes never wandered from Qui-gon’s litter as it was drawn ahead of the group.  Anakin walked in among their midst and appeared almost dwarfed amongst them before he turned and retreated back to her side to take her hand when his grief became too much for him. His small hand found hers and she warmly took it as they walked. 

The funeral took an hour from start to finish once they arrived at the Temple. Ultimately Padme had to excuse herself as Qui-gon’s body was absorbed in flames and his proud face was too obscured to see through the fire. The cool night air was a relief as she stepped out of the sheltered confines of the Temple and onto the bridge that stretched over the Solleu River that flowed from planet’s core and fed Theed’s waterfalls only a short distance away. Padme lifted her hands to her face to chase away tears that threatened to smear her carefully applied makeup. She knew she had done well to not cry thus far but she was failing. 

“Padme?” Came a soft voice and she turned around to see Anakin threading himself between her handmaidens to reach her. 

“Yes, Anakin, what is it?” Padme said softly as the boy reached her and she half bent at the waist to look at him. He had been crying and his eyes were raw looking. 

“Obi-wan just told me that the Council had agreed for me to be trained.” The boy supplied and Padme saw his bottom lip tremble as he spoke. His voice half threatened to quake and Padme could not help but smile sympathetically. 

“Oh, Anakin, that’s wonderful.” Padme said as she brushed her hand against his arm reassuringly. “It’s what Qui-gon always wanted.” She said softly as she looked at the eight year old’s bright blue eyes. “I am so proud of you, Anakin.”

“ I might not ever see you again.” Anakin said as he raised a hand to his face and rubbed the corner of his eye. Padme could not stop a soft chuckle that separated her lips. She realized quickly that after Qui-gon’s death, she was one of the few people that Anakin had grown attached to. She rubbed both of his arms with her hands. The fabric of Anakin’s shirt was soft beneath her fingers as she looked into his face. 

“But you will be a Jedi. You promised your mother that you would and Qui-gon promised you. Even though he is gone, his lessons will always be there to guide you. If you are still and silent you might hear him whispering to you. When people die they never really leave us.” Padme said as she felt a presence at her back and turned her head to look. The darkly shadowed form of Senator Palpatine stood behind her with a saddened smile upon his features. He, with several others, had just exited the Temple Pyre to gain some relief from the heat. “Senator Palpatine,” Padme greeted as she rose and placed her hand upon the small span of Anakin’s shoulder as she turned to address the older politician. “I would like to introduce Anakin Skywalker. Naboo owes much to him.” She said warmly as the older man stretched forth a hand warmly towards the young boy. 

“It is a pleasure to meet you, my boy. I heard that you were the one that blew up the Trade Federation’s droid ship. ” Senator Palpatine smiled as Anakin’s smaller palm pressed in to his. All at once Anakin’s face lit up and Padme felt a genuine smile spread across her features as Palpatine helped to distract Anakin. It was what the boy needed right now after all. She greeted the other officials that had exited with Senator Palpatine which included Governor Bibble and Council member Lufta Shif. She spoke softly with them for a time until the sun had sunk lower and the air took on a chilling bite to the air. She nodded solemnly to the Jedi Masters as they exited the Temple and retrieved Anakin who had been kept distracted by Palpatine who seemed more than interested in the child who had saved Naboo. 

It was late, she realized, as she looked up into the sky and saw the stars glittering among the dark black and purples of deep space. “It’s time to leave, m’lady.” One of her handmaidens spoke to her and Padme almost agreed until she realized that there was one face that she did not remember speaking to after the funeral. 

Where was Obi-wan?

“I’ll be a few more minutes.” Padme said as she turned to enter back into the Funeral Temple. “No, stay here. I would like a few minutes of privacy.” She instructed when she realized that a few of her handmaidens moved to follow her across the bridge. They did not argue with her, thankfully, and remained behind as she crossed the short span of the bridge towards the stone dome of the Temple itself. The glow of the funeral pyre had dimmed until only dark oranges of the smoldering coals lit the area. It was in the dim light that she saw the hooded form of Obi-wan Kenobi. He had moved only a short distance from where she had stood with him during the funeral. The air was still hot and heavy from the pyre though it was not as oppressive as when the flames had been their strongest.

Wordlessly she went to his side and stood with him as the embers crackled and hissed in the silence of the space. The hood did a lot to hide his face but there were some things that he could not hide from her. His facade was cracking. She had seen the thin lines of stress during the funeral but they disappeared earlier too quick for her to be certain of them before. There was no denying them now. It was as her hand rested on the soft robe fabric of his arm that his once strong mask shattered like fragile glass. 

Obi-wan Kenobi’s strong features contorted as he fought the choking sobs that escaped him as the tears broke through the dam that held them back for so many hours. His proud back twisted and his body bent double as if struck hard from the front. Padme grabbed for him when she thought that he would fall over as all of his grief collided into him like a charging bantha. He had shoved it to the side for days, never letting it out, never addressing it...and now…

Padme felt hot tears drip from her lashes as the newly promoted Jedi Knight openly sobbed in front of her. Her hands brushed through his short hair to soothe him as his face pressed in to the velveted brocade of her dress as he allowed himself to grieve all that he had lost with his Master’s death.Padme felt her heart breaking. It was several minutes until the sobs slowed and Obi-wan had cried until no more tears could fall. Padme knew that he was done when he sat back on his heels and no longer gripped the fabric of her dress as though she would turn to smoke between his fingers. 

“Thank you...your Highness.” His voice spoke numbly though he did not lift his face to look at her. The dying embers cast long shadows across his face not that his hood had fallen back from his features. He could no longer hide how deep the lines of grief played around his eyes and mouth. Padme grieved for him and knew that he was struggling not only with his grief and survivor’s guilt but with the teachings of the Order as well. There was no hiding the emotional toll that weighed heavily upon him. Obi-wan Kenobi was still human despite being a Jedi.

“Padme…” Queen Amidala spoke softly as her hands found his as he rose up to his feet and he tiredly looked to her with a slight gaze of confusion. “My name, Obi-wan, is Padme…” She pressed softly as she looked up in to his face and in to his stormy blue eyes which seemed more grey than blue in that moment. A soft huff, the ghost of a chuckle, passed through the young man’s lips as he reached up a hand to brush the drying tears from his cheeks. Obi-wan knew who she was but she was both Queen Amidala and Padme but she would always be Padme to him. She would always be the young woman that braved the dangerous Tatooine sands with him. He knew that girl far better than that of the Queen Amidala. A slight smirk played upon his features before he slowly tipped his head in defeat. 

“As you wish….your Highness,” He whispered softly and Padme felt herself smirk slightly. She saw a ghost of the same look in Obi-wan’s face before his features fell and his eyes turned downcast as her hand gently pressed against his forearm to silently reassure him. It was a minute or two later that the attendants of the Funeral Temple entered as to collect the ash and bits of bone that did not burn from the pyre. Padme took Obi-wan’s hand and guided him out of the area to save him from the sight. It was a business that Padme did not wish to see nor did she think that Obi-wan had the heart to watch. 

There were no words between them as they silently walked across the bridge and away from the Temple. They did not walk hand in hand but shoulder to shoulder. Obi-wan lifted his hood over his head as soon as they entered out of the Temple and Padme took it as a sign that Obi-wan was feeling vulnerable and did not wish to speak. It was not an uncomfortable silence but one of understanding. No longer did Padme feel an overbearing sense of guilt for Qui-gon’s death. She had to remember and realize that she was not the one who had caused his demise though she regretted it. The fact that Obi-wan did not blame her was proof that it was not her fault. The fact that he had teased her slightly was enough to ease her mind. 

The city of Theed was quiet when they returned after the funeral and there were few people out considering the late night for which Padme was grateful. Most of the palace’s guests had already retired for the evening when Padme and Obi-wan returned. Padme had the forethought to send her handmaidens ahead to draw a bath so that her and Obi-wan could have a few more minutes alone. It was hard to be ‘Queen Amidala’ again after spending so much time as Padme when they were on the run. 

“Will you leave for Coruscant tomorrow, Obi-wan?” Padme asked her Jedi friend as they walked down the empty palace hallways together. Their steps were slow and Padme was just fine with their leisurely gait. There was a stretch of silence as Obi-wan took a moment to answer. It was evidence to her that he had not quite made up his mind considering the pressing matters earlier. 

“Probably not,” The Jedi answered softly as he looked to Padme as he spoke. Padme felt a flicker of surprise across her features and immediately saw a ghost of a smile flash across Obi-wan’s hooded face although it was quickly gone. “The Council has not given me another mission for the time being. I was planning on spending some time helping with the recovery efforts on Naboo.” Obi-wan noted and Padme could not stop the soft sigh that passed through her. “Anakin will go on ahead to the Temple with the other Masters. He has almost six years of training and rudimentary learning to pour through before he can join with the Younglings his own age.”

“He did say to me that the Council had approved his training. I thought that they had denied him on Coruscant.” Padme said slowly as she frowned only to see Obi-wan genuinely smirk although it was tainted slightly by what she gleamed as irony. 

“The destruction of the Trade Federation’s ship would have been impossible without the Will of the Force. The Council rescinded its previous decision and agreed to allow for Anakin to be trained in light of the battle and Qui-gon’s passing.” Obi-wan spoke but there was something within his words that made Padme’s brow knit together in intense contemplation. He must have seen her look before he chuckled slightly, “My Master was a bit of a maverick and often went against the Order’s teachings. Despite that, he was a powerful Jedi and would have been on the Council itself if he had adhered to the rules a little more. I didn’t realize just how much respect the Council had for him until now.” Obi-wan allowed a sigh to pass through his lips, “They agreed to honor his last wish for me to train Anakin when he became old enough to be a Padawan.”

“Oh, Obi-wan,” Padme felt herself sigh as she realized what Qui-gon had done. More than that, she realized, what Obi-wan had done. That was why he had been in such deep thought the last couple of days...he had agreed to be a teacher when he had only just lost his Jedi teacher himself. She saw the solid resolution in her friend’s face as she looked at him and said nothing more. Obi-wan had made a promise and she knew him well enough that he would be hard pressed to break it...though...was it a promise that he had really wanted to make in the first place? She surmised that it was a promise he had made to comfort his dying Master in his last moments. Ultimately Padme knew that she had no ability to comment on the Jedi’s inner workings. If the Council agreed with Qui-gon Jinn in the fact that Anakin was to be trained by Obi-wan, no less...who was she to go against it?

“It will be a few years before he is ready to be a Padawan, I have some time before then.” Obi-wan noted though Padme was keen enough to see the contemplative expression that had taken over his face. Her friend was indeed serious about this. Her hand found his elbow which drew his attention only for Padme to not find any words to say. They had stood at the Royal Chambers door for a minute or two as they talked but now...Obi-wan was smiling at her. It was a small smile and a tired one at that but still a smile. Padme was thankful for the thick face makeup that hid the light blush that she felt burn across her cheeks. “I suppose this is ‘good night’.” The Jedi noted with a little bit of humor upon his features. 

“I suppose it is,” Padme acknowledged softly as she looked at her friend. He looked more worn out and exhausted than he had in previous days. That was testament to her that Qui-gon’s funeral and meeting with the Council had weighed heavily upon him. “Good night, Obi-wan Kenobi.” Padme said with a slight tease of her lips only for her friend to bow at the waist to her even as his hand pressed against his heart. 

“Good night, your Highness.”


	9. Fighting Visions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heey guys! It's been a hot minute but thanks for sticking with me for this chapter. This thing was so emotional to write and I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It certainly turned out a lot longer than I intended. Please leave a comment if you liked the direction that this story is going on. -leaves a plate of cookies-

_“Run! I’ll cover you!” Obi-wan ordered over his shoulder as he felt his lightsaber dance between his fingers. A lifetime of training guided him as he deflected bright bolts of energy away from their vulnerable targets, away from both his Padawan and the person that they struggled to protect together. Obi-wan felt his foot slip slightly as he spun on the ball of his foot to run behind his Padawan as a security craft neared. A smear of blood beneath his boot caught his eye as he turned to flee. There was so much of it splattered upon the ground around him._

_Whose was it? Was it his? His Padawan’s? Hers?_

_Obi-wan knew he was tiring. Something was wrong. Time was moving too slowly for him. Laser bolts ricocheted around him leaving scorched pit marks upon the metallic transportation platform. He deflected a bolt that was aimed at his Padawan’s back as they both clambered aboard but it was as he reached for his Padawan’s shoulder to steady him did the Force warn him too late. He saw the smoke trail of the rocket disappear beneath the belly of their escape transport as his Padawan’s body twitched beneath his hand, a bolt piercing his small body as he was too slow to block the bolt with his lightsaber and instead took the hit to his chest._

_This..was...a nightmare...this was...impossible!! Obi-wan felt the mortification of their imminent deaths as Padme’s eyes looked in to his. Bright tongues of hot fire engulfed them all as the ship exploded around them._

Obi-wan felt himself as he sucked in a breath, his body lurching from its seated position upon the meditation pad within the dim room. He could feel the phantom feel of the explosion’s heat against his face and the pain of inhaling the superheated air in to his lungs. A hand went to his mouth as his stomach threatened to revolt from the force of the Force Vision. He felt sick as his body struggled to rebound from the vision and all of the sensory inputs that had momentarily overloaded him. It wasn’t a vision where he had seen everything as a third person but he had been a part of it...he had felt everything.

The Jedi Knight felt a cold film of sweat upon his brow as he slowly found his center and willed himself to relax within the quiet room. The flicker of candles on the side table was the only indication of the hour. Obi-wan had been unable to sleep and so had sought refuge in one of the many meditation chambers. The news centering around the on-going trial of Nute Gunray in the Senate’s Courts had rubbed an old scar raw. Especially considering that this was technically the second trial seeing as though the first trial had been declared a mistrial after a hung jury.

Had it really been almost four years since the Battle of Naboo?

_Qui-gon would have been sixty-four this month,_ Obi-wan thought sadly as his right hand pressed tightly against the fabric of his tunic over his heart. He could feel the hard press of his most treasured possession against his skin from a hidden pocket in his clothes. It was an unremarkably small thing, a small stone no bigger than the small of his palm, and it was almost worthless to anyone besides Obi-wan himself. It had been a gift from Qui-gon a lifetime ago and Obi-wan had never been able to part with it especially now that his Master was gone.

It was with the stone’s presence and the ripple of the Force within it that Obi-wan began to focus upon what he could remember of the Force Vision. The vision itself  had started out half garbled, a flurry of movement as if a tape had been put on triple speed and the vision had jumped from one moment to another. Obi-wan’s brow knitted together as he struggled to slow his memories down to remember what he had seen. _Padme_ , Obi-wan realized sickeningly as he recalled her face looking up at him as the ship dissolved into fire beneath them. She was going to be assassinated...and both he and Anakin were going to die during the conflict.

A calloused palm traced down the strong features of his face as Obi-wan drew in a long and slow breath before he allowed his eyes to drift down to the small digital clock sunken in to the edge of the low table. Did he dare assume that the vision would happen soon? It felt like it though he could not be certain. The pressing urgency hummed somewhere in the back of Obi-wan’s mind before he swung both feet off of the meditation seat and called his cloak to his hand as he exited the room. He walked swiftly through the hallways as his mind opened to the Force and sought out the one Force-signature in particular that he had to speak with. Normally Obi-wan would have requested a meeting with the Grand Master but he could not ignore the growing sense of dread and the sense of having no time. Instead he sought the Master out through the Force.

It was in the Order’s gardens within the Room of a Thousand Fountains that Obi-wan found Master Yoda conversing with Master Mundi though both Masters quieted when Obi-wan came in to view. There was no denying that both of the Masters could feel the disquiet brewing around Obi-wan. “Master Yoda, Master Mundi...I am sorry to intrude…” The Jedi Knight said as he bowed respectfully to them.

“Intruding? Mmm?” Yoda noted softly with a warmness to his voice, “Talking about the blooming plants we were. Intruding you are not.” The Master seemingly smiled although it was quickly tainted with concern as Yoda peered through the Force, even closing his eyes to sort through the complex emotions that rolled through the young man’s troubled mind. Master Mundi’s welcoming smile too turned downward at the corners before a low sigh slowly escaped from the Cerean’s mouth.

“You saw death?” Master Mundi asked slowly and Obi-wan slowly crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“Yes, Master.” It was then that the Jedi Knight could do the only thing he could do. He told the truth as best he could, detailing the vision as best he could from what he remembered.

“Disturbing this is.” Yoda spoke lowly as his ears twitched back in intense thought as he looked to Master Mundi who brought a hand to his chin and stroked the thin wisps of his white beard.

“Very, Amidala is set to return to Coruscant later today for the final testimonies for Nute Gunray’s trial. Are you certain that it was on Coruscant that the vision took place?” Mundi pressed and Obi-wan felt his lips purse slightly.

“Positive. The platform was of a civilian transport platform.” Obi-wan answered softly before turning to look at Master Yoda. “I am respectfully request that the Council reach out to Ms. Amidala’s security for additional support. This assassination attempt is beyond their ability.” Obi-wan said with a slight frown upon his features. Padme had retired from public duty in the last year and was now considered a private citizen although the present Queen of Naboo, Queen Jamilla, had supplied her with additional security considering the near constant threat on her life due to the very public and ugly trials concerning Naboo’s blockade years prior.

“Very well.” Yoda nodded slightly, “Contact Ms. Amidala, the Council will. If our advice she accepts, assign you and your Padawan we will.”

“No,” Obi-wan said before he could stop himself. The image of Anakin’s wide and sightless eyes flashed across his mind’s eye and he remember of feeling the boy’s thin shoulder beneath his palm as he began to slip from Obi-wan’s fingers. Anakin was going to die and Obi-wan was not going to let that happen. “No, my Padawan will not be on this mission and even if Padme rejects our protection, reach out to Queen Jamilla and push for her to accept. Contact Captain Panaka if you must.” The Jedi Masters’ gazes pierced through him and Obi-wan felt himself lay bare before them.

“Oh?” Master Mundi remarked as his brows rose slightly in mild surprise. “Did you not just take young Skywalker to be your Padawan not but two months ago? It is natural for a Padawan to accompany his Master on all missions assigned by the Council.”

“I know, Master.” Obi-wan said with a deep frown, “I have faith in my Padawan but I feel as though this mission is beyond him. I would feel more confident if another Jedi Knight accompanied me during this mission considering the immediate danger that may present itself.”

“Very well. Leave you to tell your padawan yourself of your decision, I will. Contact Naboo about the assassination attempt, the Council shall. Assign a fellow Jedi Knight I will to the mission at hand. Take your words to heart I do.” The Grand Master acknowledged after a long moment with a deep sigh and Obi-wan felt a measure of relief pass through him as he bowed low to his Masters although apart of him did not look forward to speaking to Anakin. The twelve year old was incredibly proud to now be a Padawan although he technically had been already claimed by Obi-wan four years prior after his Master’s death. Anakin’s training had not been a normal one even from the very start.

Obi-wan’s steps carried him through the Temple as he sought out his Padawan. It was not too hard to find just where the young boy had sequestered himself. All one had to do was look in the Temple’s hanger and there was about a ninety percent chance that he was there if he wasn’t dealing with his studies. He was incredibly smart and Obi-wan feared that he was perhaps too smart for his own good. It seemed as though his normal studies never kept him busy for long and he always found things to otherwise occupy his time. Obi-wan could not help but allow a soft smile to grace his features as he spied his Padawan’s form half hunched over a discarded engine and was presently helping one of the mechanics strip it down. The boy seemed happiest when he was tinkering with something. “Padawan, what are you doing?” Obi-wan asked as his eyes took in the oil streaked form that was Anakin. The boy was absolutely filthy from the elbows down as he worked with a pair of pliers.

“Master!” Anakin said with surprise but did not hide the big grin on his face as he held up a hunk of machinery. “They said I could help them. I only asked once.” The twelve year old Padawan supplied and Obi-wan could only shake his head slightly from side to side in mild disapproval although it was a lost cause to reprimand him too much. The mechanics were all fond of Anakin and were happy to have a set of tiny hands that could get in to tight spaces and knew what they were doing. Honestly it was time better spent elsewhere like studying or working on other things instead of fiddling with busted switches. Being gifted so strongly with the Force at such a young age made things all too easy for Anakin and Obi-wan knew that his Padawan often became frustrated with the way that some of the classes were structured. Many Masters of the Order did not believe in teaching Anakin more advanced techniques until he had learned restraint. Restraint was not a normal part of Anakin’s vocabulary and so Obi-wan found himself often lecturing the boy although he wasn’t always sure that Anakin listened to him as he should. It was difficult to have such a strong-willed Padawan but Obi-wan saw himself in the young boy. Eventually Anakin would make to be a very powerful Jedi, perhaps the best of the Order, and that was why Obi-wan was never going to give up on him.

Obi-wan had made a promise, after all.

“Come, Anakin. I need to have a word with you.” Obi-wan said as he motioned with the top of his head slightly to draw Anakin to a quieter area so they could talk. The Knight, however, never forgot to acknowledge the mechanic and bowed politely to the young man who mirrored his greeting with a gentle tilt of his head as Anakin retrieved a rag to wipe his hands with. Obi-wan folded his hands deep in to his robe as he lead Anakin away from the hanger and into the quiet halls of the Temple. The halls were mostly empty seeing the earliness of the morning. The Jedi Knight shifted his eyes slightly and caught Anakin’s own gaze as the boy looked intently at him. A tickle of Anakin’s presence across their thin Force Bond signaled the Padawan trying to infer the reasoning of Obi-wan’s internal unease. Obi-wan felt a small smile of pride wanting to tug at his lips upon feeling his Padawan’s concern. Anakin was very empathetic to those around him and was able to pick up on Obi-wan’s distress through their strengthening learning bond. It was thin but it was there. It took years for the strong bond to build between Obi-wan and Qui-gon and so Obi-wan was happy to again feel the beginnings of their connection though he would never shake the feel of the missing bond he had shared with his own Master.

“So what did you want to talk to me about?” Anakin asked as he half skipped a step ahead to catch time with Obi-wan’s slow and even gait. Obi-wan took a long moment to gather his thoughts as he stared straight ahead before he sighed slightly and slowed his steps until he stopped in front a long set of windows that looked out over Coruscant. Thick threads of air traffic hoovered in the air and Obi-wan fixed his gaze there before turning to his waiting Padawan.

“The Council is going to be sending me off on a mission for an unforeseen amount of time in the next day or so.” Obi-wan began and saw his Padawan’s face brighten up prematurely before he held up a hand to keep Anakin’s questions at bay for a moment before he was bombarded with questions about when and where they would be going. There would be no ‘they’. It was something that Anakin caught on to quickly as he realized the exact words that Obi-wan had used. Hurt flashed across Anakin’s face as Obi-wan tried to continue, ”I will contact Master Amun to set up a lightsaber training series-”

“You’re leaving me behind!” Anakin’s face contorted with confusion and angry disbelief. The Padawan knew that it was slightly abnormal for a Master to be assigned to a mission without his or her Padawan. He was being noticeably excluded. “Why can’t I go with you? I’m your Padawan. I should go with you.”

“Not this time, my young Padawan.” Obi-wan said softly with a shake of his head and he could feel Anakin’s confusion flickering across their bond. The irony of the moment was not lost to the young Jedi Knight. This was a fight that he had too shared with his Master days before his death. Perhaps it would have better if Obi-wan had trusted his Master’s decision.

 Afterall...Qui-gon might have lived if he had.

“Come on, Master! Let me come with you. I can handle it. You’ve just got to trust me.” Anakin said with obvious frustration hanging on his voice and Obi-wan could not help but hear the slight whine in his Padawan’s voice. That was enough to harden his resolve. It was for Anakin’s own good that he not come.

“No, Anakin. I have made up my mind.” Obi-wan said with a frown as he looked down at his Padawan with his arms crossed in front of his chest. “You will be assigned a special training session in my absence. I am not arguing with you about this.”

“Master Qui-gon would let me come,” Anakin muttered sulkily half under his breath as he crossed his thin arms across his narrow chest as his eyes avoided looking at Obi-wan. Oh, Anakin certainly knew how to dig the needle beneath Obi-wan’s skin and the Knight felt himself momentarily bristle before he willed himself to be calm and understanding. He was like Anakin once.

“I’m not Qui-gon and as long as you are my student, you will heed my wisdom.” The Jedi Knight said softly and he could almost hear his Master’s voice reflected in his own. How many times did Qui-gon Jinn urge him to be quiet and listen.

“No,” Anakin spoke low and hotly with an anger that Obi-wan was surprised to hear from the young boy. “You aren’t Qui-gon Jinn.” Anakin said softly as his eyes turned to Obi-wan and the Jedi Knight was unprepared for the words that came all too easily in his Padawan’s moment of anger. “I wish you had died on Naboo instead of him. He would bring me on missions. He would let me advance my studies instead of always being made to hang back with the others. He was a better Master than you’ll ever be. You never wanted me anyways!” The Padawan bit out angrily and Obi-wan could not stop the shock and pain of Anakin’s words from playing across his face. Anakin’s face went a deep crimson with shame and anger as the air rippled from his words. There was no taking back those sharp words even if the Padawan regretted them as soon as he said them. Obi-wan felt like he had been struck though he did well to hide it after the first few seconds. There had been no missing the wounded expression upon the Jedi’s features no matter how quick he had been to try and hide it.

“My decision is final.” Obi-wan managed as he felt his chest tighten painfully until he felt like he couldn’t breathe. Obi-wan felt a little sick as his Padawan stared at him for a brief second before leaving. Anakin’s steps were almost a run and he was soon around the corner and gone down the opposite hallway in the direction of their shared quarters. Obi-wan leaned back against the windowsill as his hand reached up to grasp the fabric of his tunic over his heart. He felt the stone beneath his hand and it helped to ground him. This was for the best.

_Anakin didn’t mean it. He wouldn’t say that sort of thing...he is just hurt._ Obi-wan thought hard as he tried to collect himself. The words of his Padawan had struck him hard and he felt as though there was some sort of grain of truth however which made the hurt all the more worse. Obi-wan would always wonder if Qui-gon would have done a better job with Anakin. Anakin was an outsider much like how Qui-gon had been. Anakin had looked up to Qui-gon Jinn in a way that he had never looked at Obi-wan. He had respected Master Qui-gon, not to say that he didn’t respect Obi-wan, but Qui-gon had been something so much more, perhaps even a father figure that Obi-wan would always fall short of.

Perhaps Anakin did blame him for Qui-gon’s death. If he had been stronger, faster...

_It is in the past._ A voice seemed to whisper to him and Obi-wan heard it. It was true. It was in the past. There was little that could be done for it now. Obi-wan would struggle to do what he thought best and he would try and teach Anakin to the best of his abilities, come what may.

Obi-wan drew himself up and let a low breath out as he did so. He rolled a shoulder as he craned his head back slightly as he allowed the calm of the Force to wash through him and soothe the ache in his chest. Everything would be okay and work itself out. He would find Anakin after all of the nastiness of the assassination attempt was gone and he would tell Anakin everything. The boy didn’t know the reality and perhaps it was good that Obi-wan didn’t tell him the truth. He feared that Anakin would try to prove his vision wrong if he did know what would happen during the mission. Yes. perhaps it was good that Anakin was upset with him in the meantime.

 “There you, Kenobi.” A warm voice greeted him some time later as he transversed the large main foyer of the Temple towards the hanger where a transport awaited to take him to the landing pad where Padme Amidala was going to be landing within the hour. He stopped and turned towards the voice’s owner and saw fellow Jedi Knight Iria Yvone, a fellow human Jedi. She was about the same age of Obi-wan, give or take a few years, but a perfectly capable Jedi Guardian much like him. He felt a small smile tug at one side of his mouth as she approached him quickly. “I was sent by the Council. It looks as though we are going to be working together.” She said as she tucked a tuff of black hair behind her ear from where it had come loose from the simple braid that trailed down halfway down her back. She wore the traditional robes of the Jedi much like him but had considerably more blues and greens than the soft browns and creams of Obi-wan’s own robes .

“Oh good,” Obi-wan remarked as he turned and they walked together towards the hanger. “Did the Council debrief you?”

“As much as they were able. They said that there was likely to be an assassination attempt on Amidala and to be prepared.” Iria noted as Obi-wan stood to the side and allowed her to board the small ship before boarded after her. Obi-wan could not help but look back over his shoulder at the Temple as the transport pulled away from the looming expanse. Iria caught his glance and looked back herself, “Your Padawan will be well taken care of in your absence, Kenobi.” Iria noted with a kind smile as she touched his shoulder. Obi-wan said nothing as he looked at the Temple as it pulled further and further away until it was barely bigger than his thumbnail in the distance.

“I know,” The Jedi said as he shifted around in his seat and allowed a sigh to pass though his lips as his eyes fluttered slightly as he called the Force to him to wipe away his anxiety. There was no denying that he was unsettled. Perhaps the presence of two full Jedi Knights would be a deterrent for the assassins. The look of Padme’s eyes from his vision cut through him almost as deeply as Anakin’s words.

_I wish you had died on Naboo instead of him._ Anakin’s bitter words echoed in his head sharply and Obi-wan felt a hand going to the side of his head as he felt fresh hurt well up in his chest. If only Anakin knew just how much Obi-wan had struggled with depression after Qui-gon had died. Losing Qui-gon in such a manner had nearly ripped his soul in half when the Force Bond was torn apart. There was no gentle unravel that occurred with time. No, it had been excruciating. He had felt Qui-gon’s heart labor as if it was his own, the struggle of his body to draw breath when organs failed him. His Master had used every ounce of strength to survive until Obi-wan reached his side and his last words were only to ensure that Anakin would be trained.

That was one thing that had hurt Obi-wan the most...Qui-gon never said goodbye. There had only been concern for Anakin.

_There wasn’t enough time._ The voice whispered.

Obi-wan caught the corner of Iria’s gaze upon him and he moved to still his thoughts. The anniversary of the Battle of Naboo was looming close, only a few days away. This was a bad time to allow his emotions and his thoughts to distract from the present. After all, Padme was depending on him.

The landing pad was guarded as Obi-wan and Iria arrived. Coruscant security stood at the ready and the two Jedi took up position at the end of the platform with two other security guards to wait for Padme’s ship to arrive. There were eyes watching every few feet and Obi-wan stretched out his mind to search for any notes within the Force that felt even a little _off_. If there was going to be attack than this would where it would first begin. Everyone knew it and even expected it.

“Here they come,” Iria noted and Obi-wan lifted his eyes to see the chromed ship  as it approached the large landing platform. It’s huge wings made the ship appear almost double the size of the Nubian cruiser that Obi-wan remembered riding in to escape from the Trade Federation’s blockade years ago. Obi-wan felt a small smile begin tugging at his lips as he sensed Padme’s familiar presence upon the ship. _Padme_ , Obi-wan thought warmly only for the Force suddenly to cry out. Immediately Iria’s and Obi-wan’s heads turned towards a nearby building where the flash of a rocket was seen leaping from its hiding place towards the Nubian cruiser.

Obi-wan felt the Force rush through him as he extended a hand in time with Iria to knock the rocket harmlessly to the side. It whistled through the air over the cruiser only for the Jedi to sickeningly realize that they had made a mistake...the first rocket had been a decoy. The flare of a second rocket right after the first did not leave them enough time to regroup quickly enough and shift their focus to the second threat before it slammed in to the ship’s right engine. The fireball that exploded from the engine enveloped the platform in a heatwave from the erupting fuel as the ship banked suddenly as the left engine was the only thing that was holding the ship up in the air. The ship’s metal hull screeched as it bit deeply in to the platform in the attempt to somehow land but half missed the platform itself only for the left wing to crumple beneath the weight of the ship as it collided with the platform before the ship tilted back. It’s nose lifted high in to the air as the ship lurched back and Obi-wan lost sight of the pilot’s panicked face through the cockpit window. A second explosion tore through the ruins of the right engine…

And yet, nothing else happened.

The ship hoovered there, neither resting fully on the platform nor plummeting to the city below. The metal hull of the ship groaned as the ship slowly leaned forward, the tip of its nose once again resuming the correct position as the ship was dragged forward. Obi-wan felt the sheets of the hull part from the skeleton of the ship as both he and Iria wrapped the Force around the ship and brought it back onto the platform and away from danger. They moved in slow and determined motions, their hands reaching out towards the ship even as their eyes remained closed in concentration. The Jedi trusted the security team to protect their exposed backs as they worked to save the ship and its passengers. It would have been too hard for the Jedi to both hold the ship and protect themselves should they come under fire. Any slip in their concentration would allow the ship to tip over the platform’s edge and down to the city below. It was an agonizing few seconds before both Obi-wan and Iria knew the moment that the ship was safe and they visibly sagged with exhaustion upon releasing their grip upon the Force. It had been impossibly fast work and Obi-wan felt dizzy from the strain as he took several steps towards the half destroyed ship. Security rushed the ship as emergency personnel  moved to put out the flames.

Iria brandished her lightsaber and ignited her blue blade to cover Obi-wan as he helped to pull the cargo bay open using the Force itself despite the ship’s damaged hull and nonfunctioning systems. The metal cried out as it was ripped apart and discarded off to the side with a solid thud. There was initially no sign of life in the darkened area of the bay, the lights damaged and loose wires hanging from the ceiling, but after a few seconds there was movement towards the back where everything had slid as the ship had pitched back over the edge of the platform. Obi-wan reached out and grasped the extended hand of Padme Amidala herself as she reached for him. Blood dripped from a cut along her left eyebrow and her face was pale as the Jedi Knight helped her to her feet before he helped another member of her crew to stand, handing her off to the more than capable hands of the incoming paramedics. They were all banged up but none seemed too seriously injured to keep from moving them to a safer place quickly.

“We need to leave, Kenobi. Now.” Iria shouted back in to the ship as they worked quickly to gather the injured. Obi-wan felt the prickle of unease through the Force as the hair on the back of his neck threatened to stand on end. Danger was still coming and they were in a very vulnerable position. The ship was on the platform but another explosion from either the engines or a rocket could very easily push them all over the edge to their deaths.

“Agreed,” Obi-wan noted as he slipped an arm around Padme and ushered her gently forward. Padme’s hand found his arm and squeezed the muscle there through the fabric in a tight vice like grip. The Jedi could see fear there but also some measure of defiance. She was shaken but not deterred. His warm palm found her shoulder and he pushed calm through her with the Force. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to her that he could prevent. He was going to do everything he could to ensure that her future wasn’t going to come to pass.

Hers or Anakin’s.

The Jedi, along with Padme and others, moved quickly from the platform and in to the awaiting ship. The ship itself was much of the same design that the Supreme Chancellor used with reinforced shielding and durastee windows. The Supreme Chancellor had requested such transport would be made available to them and it sadly appeared as though it was sorely needed. Obi-wan took no small measure of relief as he pressed the control for the doors to shut behind them and ordered the ship’s captain to get them quickly away from the wreckage of the platform. They were all rewarded with the fluid shift and feel of vertigo as the ship’s engines sped them along, melting seamlessly in to the thick threads of Coruscant traffic and outside of the assassin’s reach...for the meantime..

“Make sure that the Supreme Chancellor gets report of this attack. It seems as though the assassins had intelligence on which platform Lady Amidala was going to use.” Iria said as she left the sentry position she had taken to the right of the door and made her way to the forward of the ship where some of the injured security personnel were being tended to. The more severely injured were left at the platform to await paramedics. Those who could move easily and were not hindered by their injuries were brought along. Obi-wan took a moment to gauge each person before his eyes settled upon Padme who sat further in the back of the ship and away from most of the business as others were tended to. She was staring out of the window at the passing traffic and almost at once she turned to look at him as if feeling his eyes upon her. The Jedi Knight grabbed a small medkit from the emergency supplies and went to tend to her.

“Did anyone die?” She whispered to him as he sat down next to her as to keep out of the way.

“Not that we are aware of.” Obi-wan replied gently as he extended his hand to her with a rag to wipe away the congealing blood that oozed down her face. Her fingers stretched out to take the rag but Obi-wan saw the curl of her fingers when she noticed the slight tremor in her hand, a sure sign that her body was recovering from the massive surges of adrenaline that had surged through her system when the ship was under attack. “Anakin made sure to send his regards. He was a little upset that he couldn’t come on this mission.” Obi-wan lied through his teeth slightly and in doing so provided a little bit of a distraction so that his friend could collect herself. A small but genuine smile pulled across Padme’s face as she took the rag and lifted it to her chin where no doubt the congealing blood tickled her chin where it threatened to drip in to her lap.

“I imagine so. Why wasn’t he?” She inquired softly and Obi-wan allowed himself to smile every so slightly as he thought about his Padawan though he forced himself to not think about the blistering words the young boy had said before Obi-wan had left.

_I wish you had died on Naboo instead of him._

“He had fallen behind on his studies and it was a good time for him to catch up. He is very bright but needs to learn how to focus on his responsibilities more.” Obi-wan noted gently though he could not hide the small note of a sigh pass through his lips which only made Padme’s smile deepen slightly.

“Spoken like a true teacher,” Padme said and Obi-wan could feel a little bit of the tightness in his chest loosen slightly. He had to remind himself that he had made the right decision. As much as he would have loved for Anakin to have come with him, the vision of his lifeless eyes and the phantom heat of the speeder’s explosion scorching the back of his throat was far too close to home.

“Perhaps,” Obi-wan smile slightly before turning his attention back to his friend. His eyes narrowed slightly at the rapidly discoloring of her skin above her eye where she had no doubt hit her head some time during the attack. The skin of her eyebrow had split perfectly and her eye was beginning to swell. Her light brown eyes seemed almost amber in the low light but he could see her developing pain as the adrenaline faded from her body thus leaving her exposed to its onslaught. “Don’t move,” He advised her as he lifted a hand to her face. “I am going to examine you for a concussion. You have hit your head pretty badly.”

“It didn’t feel like that hard of a knock,” Padme noted but kept quiet as Obi-wan smirked slightly, his palm lifting until it was even with the side of her head and scant few centimeters from her.

“Just be quiet for a moment. You might feel a warm sensation. It’s only me.” Obi-wan advised before he allowed his eyes to go slightly distant as he dug deep in to himself and sought out the ever present connection with the Force. It throbbed warmly from within as he took hold of it and peered through it. He saw the growing bruise spreading along Padme’s delicate orbital bone as damaged tissue hemorrhaged as a result of the trauma it had endured. He pushed deeper in to the Force and followed the path of damage until he reached the end of it. He saw through the Force that her body was largely undamaged. Bruised, yes, but no serious damage. Nothing that he couldn’t fix, anyways. Somehow she had evaded a concussion. He was no Master of Healing but he was practiced enough (thanks to Anakin’s ‘leap before you look’ mentality) to be able to heal minor cuts and bruises.

Obi-wan watched through the Force as he soothed bruised bone and calmed the inflammation. He encouraged the skin to knit together and for the aggressive swelling to subside. “My face itches,” He heard Padme mutter softly beneath her breath and he allowed his vision to return to the present as he withdrew from the Force and saw Padme’s features slightly contorted as she resisted the urge to touch her own face. Obi-wan smirked slightly before he craned forward a few inches to look at his handiwork.

“You were healing. You sustained a nasty blow and bruised the bone.” Obi-wan said as he was pleased to see that the cut was now gone and the angry bruising was now a ghost of the past. “Much better,” Obi-wan noted as he leaned back so that Padme could touch her own face. It was in that moment he realized how close he had come to her. Her eyes stared up at him in surprise as her fingers played across her eyebrow where she knew the cut had been.

“Healing, past tense.” She said as she checked her fingers and touched again when she felt no pain. Obi-wan’s smile grew slightly when he saw her motions and caught the line of her thought. “Superficial wounds are easy. There was very little underlying damage. The reason it took me so long to heal on our last mission together was that there was a lot of underlying damage to the nerves and surrounding muscle that had to be healed first. I needed Qui-gon’s help to focus the Force to heal myself.”

“That Krayt dragon didn’t help,” Padme noted with a smirk before face fell as her eyes moved to look over at her men who were being tended to. “I am glad that Captain Panaka refused to let me decline the Council’s offer.” She whispered softly to him as her eyes lingered upon a form slumped against the transport’s interior wall. Captain Panaka’s face was contorted in pain but Obi-wan could sense that he was not badly wounded save for his shoulder having been dislocated. It had been reset but the joint was raw and stiff. He would be a pretty poor shot with that arm until he healed. “You didn’t have anything to do with the request, did you Obi-wan?” Padme asked with rising suspicion when she seemed to notice his lack of surprise concerning the Council’s request. Usually a request was sent to the Council itself before they would assign protection but the Council had broken typical protocol by initiating the request.

“Ah, introductions,” Obi-wan noted, tiptoeing around the pointed question,  rising to his feet as Iria walked over after she had finished tending to the worse of the wounded. “Iria Yvone, fellow Jedi Knight of the Order, meet Padme Amidala, former Queen of Naboo.” The Jedi Knight said as he introduced the two women to each other. Padme looked at him pointedly but bowed her head slightly as the fellow Jedi Guardian bowed at the waist in greeting. “How is everyone?”

“Fair.” Iria noted with a little relief hanging upon her words, “The worst injury sustained is a broken arm. Nothing a few hours in a bacta tank won’t fix.” The Jedi said as she brushed a hand along her brow to smooth back a few thin pieces of hair away from her face. “We were lucky, Obi-wan. You were right. There was going to be an assassination attempt.”

“I sincerely thought that the threats were nothing more. There weren’t any assassination attempts the first trial though there were plenty of threats.” Padme acknowledged softly and Obi-wan felt her eyes on him. He caught her eye and held her gaze for a long moment before smiling softly at her. Everything was going to be alright.

“Perhaps seeing two Jedi Knights on your security detail will deter any future attacks.” Iria suggested as she looked to Obi-wan. He could only nod in silent agreement, “Or one could only hope.” Iria noted as they felt the ship slow and the shadow of the Senate building quickly engulfed them. There would be no assassination attempt here...or would there be? No, the assassins would be clever...they wouldn’t wait and bide their time. They had been advanced in their attack on the platform. They would not wait to pierce the security of the Senate building. He would not put it past them to already have an assassin within the building in the off chance that Padme had escaped. This would have been the first place they would come if the attack had failed. It was standard procedure. Obi-wan hissed between his teeth with that realization.

They had to move quickly...

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Obi-wan noted as his eyes scanned the long hallways as the Force rippled with unease. It lay just beyond his consciousness much like a phantom itch...he had felt this feeling before.

_Don't center on your anxieties, Obi-Wan. Keep your concentration here and now, where it belongs._ Came the voice of Qui-gon unbidden to Obi-wan’s mind. The Jedi could not help but scoff lightly to himself as he remembered a time that had happened in the not so distant past. 

“Be mindful,” Obi-wan said to Iria as he drew upon his Master’s wisdom and listened closely to it. The living Force would guide him just as Qui-gon had always said. One only had to stop and be quiet, to listen to it when all other sources pushed and pulled in the attempt to distract. “This way,” Obi-wan said as they turned down the hallway towards the Senate Rotunda. If they hurried than they could make it through the public common areas and slip away through the series of turbo lifts that divided the Commercial district.

Obi-wan lead the group with Panaka on his left with Iria bringing up the rear. He could feel Padme’s unease as she was carefully sandwiched between the two Jedi but she never argued. No one spoke but moved quickly with Obi-wan subtly using the Force to cloak them as to not be easily noticed despite how quickly they moved. It was then that they saw the near panicked face of Senator Palpatine half sprinting down the hallway towards them. “Senator,” Padme said breathlessly as she squeezed past Obi-wan as they slowed when it became obvious that the Senator was not going to let them pass.

“Oh, Padme!” Palpatine sighed with obvious relief as he touched Padme’s shoulders though he made a pained choking sound when he saw the blood that stained her clothes though a quick inspection did not reveal the injury. “We just got word about the attack on your ship. No one had an answer as to where you were.” He said he looked to Obi-wan but quickly looked around, no doubt looking for Anakin, but abandoned the hunt when the Padawan was nowhere to be found.

“We have to keep moving, Senator.” Obi-wan pressed as he put his hand on the top of Padme’s shoulder. The Force throbbed a warning to the Jedi. They had to keep moving. “We are still being pursued. We need to get to the turbo lifts on the opposite side of the Rotundra.”

“You’re planning to use the public transportation to escape,” Palpatine whispered with slight surprise as his eyebrows shot up in realization. With the multitude of bodies that used the public transportation system they could easily slip away using the sea of bodies around them. Obi-wan felt himself inwardly start when he realized his unwitting mistake.

The public transportation platform...that was where the final attack was going to happen. How could he have been so blind?! He had lead them straight in to the trap. There was very little time. The more they delayed, the more than likely their pursuers would cut off their escape routes. Yes, they were safe within the Senate building, but for how long? Perhaps they could determine the identities of their attackers by tripping the trap intentionally. They were obviously professionals by the way that they had set up strategically to blow Padme’s ship out of the air. Perhaps if they were caught than any other attempts would be thwarted.

“We’ve got to keep moving,” Obi-wan stated bluntly before looking over at Padme who looked at him. Something in her gaze made him stop. She was going to fight him. Their flight path was potentially putting innocents in harm's way. “Padme, do you trust me?” He whispered to her softly beneath his breath. Her eyes widened slightly before her features softened and he had to take her silence as a yes, “Trust me now.”

“Yes, you have no time to waste.” Senator Palpatine said as he released Padme’s arms but not before squeezing her hands reassuringly. “Be safe.” He added as the group began to move forward though Obi-wan almost missed that long look that the Senator gave them as they left.

It felt so...off...

“Captain, radio ahead and tell the new security transport to meet us on platform 934C.” Iria said from the rear and there was no objection as the dark skinned man did exactly as he was told. The group was otherwise silent as they moved quickly towards the public part of the Senate building. The crowds were noticeably thickening the nearer they drew to the railway to a point where the group was forced to tighten together as Obi-wan guided them through the throngs of people. They were almost winded when they managed to get on to the railway train and Obi-wan moved to block Padme from the window. Iria followed his lead and placed herself beside him but between Padme and the crowds. A slight nudge to his elbow drew his attention away from the rest of the tram to Iria. Her hand fluttered at her side before she lifted it to her face to trace the line of her jaw as if a hair was tickling her skin.

Obi-wan knew those signs well. They, like many other things, had been drilled in to him as a Padawan.

_Are you okay?_ She silently asked him and Obi-wan forced himself to draw in a breath that he had not noticed that he was neglecting. His hand flicked before he shrugged a shoulder slightly as if he needed to adjust the weight of his cloak.

_Another attack is coming._ _Be prepared._ Obi-wan answered  with subtle signs as he stared out of the train’s windows as it began to pull away from the platform. He felt a growing disturbance in his mind and he saw Iria shift slightly with uneasiness before he felt her reach through the Force in all directions. _The Temple is the only safe place now._ He added by scratching his brow with a nail. His friend blinked slowly in agreement before they stopped conversing and stretched out their senses through the Force. As he did so, Obi-wan took a moment to run a thread of the Force along his connection with Anakin. His Padawan was still upset with him although he was more angry now than hurt. Being left behind was no easy task for Anakin to get over. The Jedi Knight pushed a feeling of gentle reassurance towards his Padawan to let him know that he was missed but he was saddened to feel Anakin push back against him and close off the connection between them

_‘I will make it up to him, I promise.’_ Obi-wan said to himself as he rested a hand upon his hip only to feel the weight of his lightsaber tap against the top of his thigh. Its presence helped to calm him as his fingers traced the familiar grip. Qui-gon’s lightsaber had always been slightly heavier than his old one but he had gained a feel for it. He had the mind to make a new lightsaber for himself since he had taken Anakin on as a Padawan but he did not have the heart yet to retire Qui-gon’s lightsaber but perhaps one day soon. The time was coming. His eyes blinked rapidly to accommodate his vision as they entered a long tunnel. Just three stops and they would be at the correct platform as to make the final leg of their escape.

“Obi-wan?” Padme’s soft voice caught his attention and he looked over his shoulder at her where she looked contemplative. “I do trust you.” She replied softly to him when his eyebrow had risen slightly in inquiry.

Those words brought a small smile to Obi-wan’s face and he allowed slight wink to crinkle the corner of his eye before he caught a whisper of the Force as they exited the tunnel. It wiped the smile from his face and he spun his head quickly to look through the window only to see a speeder approaching them at rapid speed. He saw the bright red flash of the laser bolts before he heard the glass shatter and people started screaming. Iria threw herself over Padme and brought both of them down to the floor of the transport tram as laser bolts were sprayed from one end of the train to the other. Splinters of glass were everywhere as the train screeched alongside a maintenance platform. Obi-wan’s bright green flicked to life and he batted away the laser bolts that came near enough for him to deflect away as he somehow remained steadfast on his feet.

“We have to get out of here. We’re sitting ducks!” Obi-wan ordered as Captain Panaka leapt to the doors and helped another one of his men pry the doors open. The Jedis’ blue and green lightsabers moved as a blur to deflect the bolts that came at them as they attempted to escape onto the platform. Iria sent a strong Force push to knock the speeder as it bore down upon them and slammed it in to the wall of the nearby building. The speeder half exploded and sent their assailants in to the air. One missed the platform beneath the speeder all together and plummeted down to the bottom of the city below but three others landed though not all were graceful. One man screamed as his leg shattered from his landing and was almost immediately incapacitated as the two others recovered and fired their blasters at the fleeing people that poured out of the train and on to the platform. Obi-wan realized with a sickening feeling that they were not all aiming at him, Iria, or even Padme. The Jedi were guarding themselves and Padme all too well and so the assassins did the next best thing...they began firing on the crowd.

They knew what they were doing.

Iria broke away to defend those that were wounded and could not defend themselves as they were being fired upon. “Where is the security transport?” Obi-wan asked harshly as he grabbed a piece of siding off of the building with the Force and used it as a shield to help Iria even as he deflected several bolts aimed at himself after he had managed to maneuver Padme and the others behind a pillar.

“ETA thirty seconds,” Panaka barked as he returned several shorts towards the assailants only to score a glancing blow to one of their shoulders. “How did they know that this was the train we were on!?” The man asked as he ducked, a blaster bolt pinged off of the column just an inch shy of catching him in the face.

“I don’t know,” Obi-wan growled as he dodged beneath a neighboring column as to gain his bearings. “But we can’t stay here for long.” He said as he felt Iria at his back as she took cover with him. “You go first and defend the transport. I’ll bring up the rear.” Obi-wan said over his shoulder to Iria and noticed that her arm had been injured. “You alright?”

“It’s a scratch,” Iria gritted through her teeth and Obi-wan nodded slightly. They didn’t have much time to collect themselves before the transport arrived. Obi-wan didn’t allow himself to feel the sickening feeling upon recognizing the security speeder as it approached. Instead he forced his concentration upon the assassins as Iria ran towards their salvation. He deflected a bolt aimed at her back and felt the Force around her as she jumped for the ship itself and landed on it. Obi-wan ducked bolts and joined Padme behind her pillar after some of her security force fled across the platform to other places of cover to return fire. Captain Panaka ran ahead to the transport to provide support.

“Run and don’t look back,” Obi-wan whispered to her and he was satisfied to see the fierce determination in her face even as she clutched a blaster in her hand. Where she had gotten that, he didn’t know.

“I am not leaving anyone behind,” Padme snapped as she turned to fire at her assassins only for Obi-wan to grab her shoulder and keep her from doing so. A cry of pain echoed across the platform and Obi-wan saw one of Padme’s men crumple to the hard steel floor only to not move.

“They are doing their job, I am doing mine, and you need to do yours.” Obi-wan said as he grabbed her by her shoulders, “You said you trusted me. Do so now. You have to leave. Now.” He said as he looked to the building that seemed to loom over them where he knew the rocket would come. He could feel a growing maliciousness ripple through the Force. They were running out of time. “Please, do as I say.” He pressed only for Padme to stare up at him for a long few seconds before swallowing hard and conceding though she was severely displeased. Obi-wan honestly could not care if she was mad at him or not. He looked out from around the column and felt through the Force. As he stepped out, his lightsaber flicked through the air and brushed aside a bolt that had been aimed at his chest. Padme and Obi-wan could only do one thing….they ran towards the safety of the transport.

The Force was the only thing that warned him of danger as their steps carried them closer and closer to the ship. Screams of the wounded and blaster fire filled the air...and it was through all of the noise that he heard the horrifying shout. “Grenade!” Someone screamed and Obi-wan saw it skip across their path, it’s bright tail illuminating its path as it did so. He reached out with the Force and flung it away only for a violent blast to erupt from it, throwing thick smoke in to the air. The smoke burned Obi-wan’s throat as it invaded his eyes and he reached for Padme instinctively as he heard her body struggle to breathe as they were engulfed.

_Ting-ting-ting...._

“Look out!” Captain Panaka screamed and Obi-wan knew what was happening. He could feel it through the Force even as his eyes failed him. There was no time for him to knock the second grenade away before it exploded. He pulled Padme close and shoved her smaller frame against his own body tightly as he curled protectively around her. The explosion kicked them both off of their feet and sent them flying back. Obi-wan felt the concussion hit him like a sledgehammer in the chest and he momentarily blacked out as pain flooded his senses as he connected with the platform’s surface.

_Get up, Obi-wan. You must get up._

Obi-wan moaned low as he moved to push his elbow beneath his body only to feel a smaller form beneath him. It was a form that he was all too painfully aware of as a weak flutter of movement brushed against his chest. Padme’s face was streaked with dirt and her mouth was parted in a gasp of pain as her face contorted slightly. Her mind fluttered along the line of unconsciousness and Obi-wan forced himself to pull the Force around himself to piece together his broken body. He called his lightsaber back to his hand as Captain Panaka appeared at his side with several others. 

“Get Padme to the transport,” Obi-wan ordered though his voice appeared distorted and distant to his ringing ears as he brought his feet beneath himself and reignited his lightsaber. The assassins were firing rapidly upon seeing that their quarry was nearing escape though Obi-wan had not forgotten that their attackers still had one ace up their sleeve. Iria helped to lift Padme up in to the transport as Obi-wan guarded their escape but with every step Obi-wan could feel his strength waning as he moved backwards to cover their retreat. He was frightful at the amount of blood that smeared the platform but somehow he knew that it was not Padme’s. He could not sense her injuries through the Force...

“Kenobi, let’s go!” Panaka shouted back at him and Obi-wan felt the grim deja vu of his vision take hold. He felt his feet slip upon the blood splattered upon the platform. He felt the way his exhausted body pooled the Force around him to make the narrow jump that spanned between the platform and the transport as it began to pull away. He saw the colored laser bolts as they struck a security guard that was returning fire and Iria herself. Her face betrayed her pain and surprise as she crumpled and tumbled back in to the ship. Her lightsaber’s blade winked out of existence as it tumbled from her hand.

They weren’t going to make it by waiting for him.

He saw a glass window of the neighboring building shatter and saw the flash of rocket as it leapt from its launcher. Obi-wan dropped his lightsaber as he gathered the Force in his hands and grounded his stance. He had made a promise to himself that morning...that his vision would not come to pass….and it hadn’t.

His Padawan was safe.

Padme would be safe.

Obi-wan saw her face as she peered over the edge of the transport, her bloodied and dirtied face betraying her horror as her hand outstretched for him as the Force Push shoved the transport far away from the platform and out of harm’s way. She screamed for him but the rocket hit nothing but empty air. Obi-wan felt pain lick across his back as the Push left his hands. The Jedi felt his body arc away from the pain despite its inescapable grip and Obi-wan felt his face betray his agony as his knees buckled, his strength abandoning him completely. His hands pressed against the train’s blood streaked platform as he struggled with the darkness that slid across his vision.

The ground rushed up to meet him and he felt nothing more….


	10. Grasping for Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Padme must deal with the stresses of reality after her most recent assassination attempt at the hands of an unknown group. With Obi-wan's survival in doubt, she must keep her mind about her as she goes about trying to find the truth with Anakin at her heels. How will this affect their relationship and how far will Padme go to find Obi-wan?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG guys, I did not expect to take this long to publish this latest chapter. I got a new job that requires me to be disconnected for months at a time. What does that mean for you? It means that I have more time to work on chapters and to get my writing done. However, that being said, this last chapter was no doubt the hardest one that I have written so far. It total, I think I rewrote it almost five times with three different perspectives until I found the perfect blend. I hope you guys enjoy and please leave a comment or a kudos to know how much you are enjoying the story. Thanks again for your patience. I really appreciate it.

            “OBI-WAN!!” Padme’s scream tore through her throat as she reached out to her friend, the vehicle that she was on rocked violently to the side and she could feel the stabilizers working overtime to recover. His face was set in to a grim but determined mask as his hands extended out to the vehicle. Smoke from a rocket choked her as it blew in her face. It had narrowly missed them. He knew….he had somehow known the whole time. That was why he had been so intent on her leaving…he knew there was a second trap. The acceleration of the escape vehicle hit her hard as the pilot put the petal to the floor as soon as the vehicle recovered from the Jedi’s Force Push. “No!” Padme shouted in panic as she grabbed Panaka’s shoulder, briefly turning her face away from Obi-wan. “No! We can’t leave him!” Padme said as she looked back at her friend. Her blood froze.

            Obi-wan was no longer standing but lay at the feet of the assassins as they fired at the transport.

            Panaka said nothing but Padme felt herself choke in horror. Obi-wan wasn’t moving. Her security captain’s hand clamped down hard over her own where it clutched desperately to the thick fabric of his jacket. “Where to?” Panaka asked as Padme felt herself beginning to shake. It was taking everything within her to keep from breaking to pieces but she was failing.

            Her Obi-wan was dead…

            “To the Temple,” Iria’s pained voice came from the back of the transport and Padme dared to look back at her second Jedi protector. Iria’s face was ash white and her eyes were filled with pain as she clutched a blaster wound that had pierced her shoulder. It was a wonder that the Jedi was alive let alone conscious but she was of no protection to them anymore.

            “He’s dead…” Padme choked as she began to wrap her arms around herself as the wind battered her leaving her cold. Wetness greeted her palms and she looked at them only to see streaks of maroon across her skin. She touched herself and found more. It was splattered all over her and soaked the front of her dress. _Blood_ , Padme realized as she touched it. She saw Panaka’s panicked expression as he saw the blood upon her hands and he instantly ordered a medic to tend to her. “It’s not mine…” Padme whispered numbly to Panaka. “It’s…his…” The frag grenade…Obi-wan had protected her with his own body and took the shrapnel that was meant for her. He had protected her and used his body as a shield. This blood was Obi-wan’s.

            Padme had thought that he was acting strange before upon her arrival but had chalked it up to his mind being on the mission but he had never joked with her even when things had been at their most dangerous. Obi-wan’s wit knew no bounds but he had been unusually grim. She had assumed that people were being overprotective and would have continued to reject the Council’s involvement had Captain Panaka not told her that Obi-wan was going to be assigned to her. The thought of seeing him again allowed her to entertain the idea before finally agreeing. Never did she stop to think that the worse would come to pass. Never did she think that the threat was real…never did she think that people would die because of her own foolishness.

            “Padme?...” A far off distant voice sought her attention but she ignored it. Her friend had died because she had been stubborn. If she had agreed to go sooner, if he had not had to fight to convince her to leave…He would be alive. It all amounted to seconds but it could have been enough. Obi-wan would be alive. “Padme?” Panaka’s voice broke through her mental fog and she looked up at him numbly. The Jedi Temple’s medical hanger around them was a buzz of activity but time seemed slow to her. The sad look of his eyes brought forth hot tears and they fell from her lashes, burning down across her cheeks until they fell in to her lap. She felt them splash on to the back of her hands where she gripped the fabric of her dress in a white knuckled grip.

            “He’s gone, Panaka…” Padme whispered as she felt the first sobs rippling through her. “He’s gone and it’s all my fault.” The young woman suddenly felt a sob of grief break through her lips and her body shook with the effort to keep them at bay. They slipped through her fingers and choked her, stealing her breath and closing the world in around her. She couldn’t breathe or stop crying. She could only blame herself. A warm hand found her forehead and instantly she felt a sleepy haze enter her mind. Her eyes blinked wide to fight the sudden sensation but she almost welcomed the retreat that it provided her. Distantly she knew the Jedi tending to her had installed the powerful compulsion upon her in order to spare her from the anxiety attack that threatened to drown her. The full realization of what happened would come to her later. For now, she allowed her eyes to close and the dreamless haze to overtake her.

            “Come…we’ll attend to her.” A Healer said softly and Padme felt Panaka’s strong arms curl around her, one arm across the back span of her shoulders and one beneath her knees. She did not fight him and remained subdued as he lifted her up and followed the Healer deeper in to the Healing Halls. Voices echoed around her softly until they faded in to darkness. Padme welcomed it. She wanted to forget the way that those haunting grey-blue eyes that stared at her knowingly. She would never forget, however, and nor would she ever forgive herself.

            Her friend was dead because of her.

            ~~~

 _“_ I am sorry, Master….Lady Amidala isn’t going to be able to answer any questions just yet. She has yet to wake up.” Panaka’s voice came to her in the darkness and she forced herself to listen closer despite the medicated haze that fuzzed her mind and urged her to continue sleeping. The retired Monarch would have if not for the pressing feeling of ‘wrong’ and unfamiliarity of her surroundings. That and the curiosity of who Panaka was speaking to was something she could not ignore. Padme shifted slightly before she allowed herself to take a deeper breath.

            “I am awake, Captain.” Padme muttered numbly as she rolled over from her side where she had been laying. She was not surprised when she saw the small room in which she was in nor was she surprised to see Panaka at the door blocking whoever it was from entering. She looked down and took careful inventory of herself. Gone was her bloodied formal attire and instead it was replaced with a soft cotton dress. Its whiteness matched the sheets and Padme was finding that she hated the lack of color. It was too sterile feeling. “Who is it?”

            “A Jedi Master, m’lady.” Panaka said as he took a step back and to the side to allow the man in.

            “Master Windu, it’s been some time…” Padme said softly as she looked at the distantly familiar face as she went about sitting up. The young woman remembered the stoic Jedi Master from the time that he had visited Naboo to pay his respects for Master Jinn. The black man stepped forward through the door and nodded his head respectfully at her before taking position at the foot of her bed. His arms were folded passively behind his back but his eyes were…piercing…they seemed as though they looked straight through her. “Master, I…I am so…sorry….” Her words trailed off but the rest of what she wanted to say lingered in the air. _This is all of my fault._

            The Master’s eyes closed slowly and she almost felt him draw in a measured breath as he bowed his head in silent acceptance of her apology. He was not angry or so she felt. Instead she got the feeling that he was deeply concerned, painfully so. Troubled even. It gnawed at her silently and she felt her knees pulling towards her chest as a reflex to guard herself better against the emotions that tugged at her. There had been developments concerning the assassination attempt, that much was certain. “I have some questions for you, if you are up to it.” He said slowly and Padme allowed herself to nod, noticing for the first time that her hair had been taken out of its elaborate braids and had been combed out thus allowing the thick brown curls to fall free. Her hand stroked a lock that hung over her shoulder it in a self-soothing gesture, feeling oddly exposed.

            Master Windu pulled from the confines of his robes a small holoprojector. Panaka took his place by Padme’s bedside and folded his arms across his chest before the Jedi Master pressed a small button on the edge of the device. Instantly it flared to life and a upper torso of a man appeared. He was rugged looking with a piercing gaze and his hair trimmed short against the curve of his scalp. “Who is he?” Panaka asked.

            “Do you recognize him at all?” Master Windu asked only for Padme to shake her head slowly from side to side in reply. Another face was shown but this time not human.

            “I don’t recognize any of these faces,” Padme replied as Mace Windu flipped through several more before he seemed satisfied.

            “They appear to have been part of a mercenary group, a highly skilled one at that, that was hired to assassinate or intimidate other key witnesses of the trial. We haven’t been able to determine who hired them but you weren’t the only one attacked in recent weeks. News of your assassination attempt has generated several other inquiries in to instances of what we thought were isolated incidents.” Mace Windu said with a frown before his arms crossed in front of his chest in the traditional Jedi stance that Obi-wan often took. Padme felt her hand go to her heart with the sinking reminder. “Several of them were killed on the platform during the last attack, including their leader, and we are unsure as to what their next move is.”

            “Perhaps we could lay a trap for them. We could do it after Kenobi’s funeral…” Panaka supplied only for Mace Windu to shake his head slowly from side to side.

            “The Council does not feel as though it would be appropriate to use Amidala as bait. It could send the wrong signal and scare off the mercenaries. They aren’t likely to attempt another attack so soon.” The Jedi Master said as his hand reached to touch his chin in thought before his features darkened. “And Kenobi’s status is…unknown. We have not been able to recover his body.”

            Padme felt sick. It wasn’t enough to kill Obi-wan but they had to take his body as well? For what purpose? A million ideas flashed through her mind’s eye and none of them made her feel any better. Instead she just allowed her head to tip forward and rest her forehead upon her knees that she pulled up tighter to her chest. She was still grieving her friend’s demise, that much was certain. “There isn’t much we can do then but wait.” Panaka sighed and she felt him shift beside her. A sudden beep from the communicator on Captain Panaka’s belt chirped and Padme looked up to see him pull its from its small pouch and hold it to his mouth. “Panaka,” He stated.

            “ _Captain,_ ” Came the voice of another part of the security team. “ _Senator Palpatine’s office just notified us of a suspicious message they received within the last hour._ ” Everyone’s head in the room lifted in surprise, _“Shall I forward it to you, sir?”_

            “Forward it to the following communication line that I am going to give you. The Council will want to see that transmission as well.” Mace Windu supplied with a frown etching itself across his dark features.

            “I am coming too. I need to see what is in that transmission,” Padme said as she pulled her hair back and began to braid it. Panaka stared at her for a long few seconds before he lifted his eyes to Mace Windu. The Jedi Master said nothing save for tilting his head slightly in agreement.

            “I will send for you some clothes,” Panaka said before he took down the information that he needed in order to forward the message to the Council. It was a very long few minutes before Padme was ready. Mace Windu had long left to gather the Council and another Jedi had shown up to escort both Panaka and Padme to the Council Chamber where they were preparing the transmission.

            “ _They’re ready for you_ ,” The Jedi escorted said calmly after bringing them to a door in one of the lower towers. Padme would have assumed that the Council would have been in the highest center tower but found herself surprised when it was not. The surprise was brief as the doors open and both Padme and Panaka entered. Padme held herself proudly as the small room opened to her and she found herself surrounded by the Jedi Order’s High Council. In the front sat Yoda with Mace Windu to his left.

            “Play the message instruct the computer,” Yoda noted as his clawed hands massaged the wide handle of his walking stick. Padme steeled herself at the edge of the room as the first flickers of a blue holo image came in to existence in the middle of the Jedi Council. The man that stood in the image was a familiar face, courtesy of Mace Windu’s earlier questioning. The man had a hard look to his face and it was made even more so by the black tattoo that covered almost half of his features along the left side of his face. “A recording it is.” The Jedi Grandmaster noted.

            “ _Greetings,”_ The recording began and Padme did not miss the smirk that played across the man’s features, “ _This message is intended for a certain Padme Amidala. My name is Javis Mironi and I would like to take a moment to personally  thank you for the multiple promotions that you expedited today earlier on the transportation platform. Being leader is quite an honor though it was certainly unexpected but not unwelcomed,”_ The man drawled and Padme saw both Yoda and several other Masters exchange concerned looks. This man must have been an underling prior to the firefight on the platform that had killed the mercenary group’s previous leadership _, “First order of business is the…certain…troubles…your continued existence has caused us, never mind the considerable emotional and financial distress. Being a mercenary doesn’t come cheap, my dear. All things considered, I might be willing to settle the price on your head if you feel so  inclined. Your little Jedi managed to kill quite a few of my ‘friends’ which I don’t entirely appreciate.._ ” Panaka scoffed from his place beside her, _“Additionally, there is an issue of this little loose end._ ” The man spoke slowly and his face twisted to reveal his cruelty as two men solidified in the feed dragging a limp man between them. He was bound securely with his hands lashed behind his back. His form had been stripped down save for his trousers and boots and thick bandages were wrapped tightly around his torso. A black hood shielded his face for a brief moment as the two men kicked the back of the captive’s knees to put him in a half-slumped kneeling position. He was grabbed roughly around the neck as the hood was forcibly removed. A horrified gasp escaped Padme’s lips as her hands went to mouth to quiet herself.

            Obi-wan’s bloodied face greeted them as the two men kept a hand on each of his shoulders to keep him upright. The Jedi blinked hard as his eyes fought to adjust to the sudden change of light and Padme could see a thick cord of fabric had been placed between his teeth and tied behind his head to keep him from speaking. His face showed signs of abuse from where the men had already laid in to him during the short time he had been with them. A cut along his left temple dripped blood down the side of his face as his right eye slowly swelled shut and bruises discolored both sides of his face. He was alive…weak and injured…but alive.

            “ _I cannot, personally, guarantee his safety.”_ Javis crooned softly, “ _Unless…we…oh, I don’t know…triple, no, quadruple the bounty price that was on your pretty little head, Amidala. The price is one hundred thousand credits for his safety and that is not negotiable. I’ll be contacting you again for information regarding the wire transfer…and remember…if we suspect foul play or if we suspect any funny business, we will kill him and you. The longer you take, the less certainty your little Jedi protector makes it out alive.”_

            The recording ended abruptly and Padme turned her wide, horrified eyes, to the Jedi Grandmaster who sat there silently with his brow furled in thought. His wide ears were drooped as his wrinkled face was marred by deep lines. “Disturbing this is…” Yoda admitted, “Alive Obi-wan is but trust the mercenaries we cannot.”

            “You must help him, Master Yoda. He risked his life to save mine.” Padme said as she took several tentative steps forward towards the center of the room. “Certainly you can track the origin of the transmission?”

            “No, they rerouted the transmission several times. It’s impossible to determine the origin of the message. We don’t even know if they’re still on Coruscant.” Mace Windu said slowly, “We also have a second problem.” The words hung painfully in the air and Padme felt her stomach plummet as realization began to dawn on her.

            “But he is one of your own!” Panaka noted as he too realize what was being unsaid and Padme felt her chest clench painfully. The Council was not planning to pay the ransom. “You are signing his death warrant. You heard the mercenary. We can’t trust them but at this point they have nothing to lose. They will kill Kenobi if he is of no value to them.”

            “Giving up on him we are not.” Yoda said firmly, “Trust Kenobi to survive we must. Skilled and smart he is. Time we need but have we may not. Hope we must.” The Jedi Master said deeply in his own mismatched sort of way. Padme bit her lower lip painfully.

            “He knew this was going to happen, didn’t he?” She questioned and saw Yoda’s ears dip slightly.

            “Yes,” The green Jedi admitted and sighed, “Came to us with this morning he did. Death he saw in a Force Vision of you and his Padawan. The assassination attempt he saw. Determined he was to not let it pass. Question his actions I did but fight him I did not.”

            “I don’t understand,” Padme admitted and saw Mace Windu shift forward in his seat so that his elbows were braced upon his knees.

            “Nor is it required of you to understand. Obi-wan Kenobi’s actions saved your life at the potential cost of his own. He knew that he could potentially lose his life in this conflict. We will do our best to return him back to the Temple but the investigation will take time. All you can do now is wait.”

            “Please, if I can be of any help…” Padme said quickly only to see Yoda raise his clawed hand. No more needed to be said.

            “Keep that in mind, we will. Rest you must. Recovering still you are.” Yoda said softly before Padme felt Panaka’s hand on her shoulder. There was indeed nothing more she could do and her head had begun to ache painfully at her temples. They bowed respectfully to the Council before exiting. Padme held a hand to her head as the door slid close behind them and looked up at Panaka who wore a grim look upon his features.

            “They will find him. If I know Kenobi, he will do what he has to in order to survive up until that point. He is a resourceful man.” Panaka said slowly and Padme felt herself smirk bitterly as she rubbed a temple to relieve some of the tension that was causing her headache.

            “He’s seriously injured, Captain. Did you see all of those bandages? The Council might be working on borrowed time as it is.” Padme noted as she recalled the recording. Obi-wan’s eyes were pained and exhausted. She had seen the way that his head had hung low between his shoulders as his strength had waned. There were so many questions and no answers. He was alive though.

            “All we can do is wait.”

            “I am no good at it.” Padme confessed. That was the absolute truth and Panaka knew it. It was soon discovered that the assassins had managed to pierce the Senate’s security camera system and so it was determined that not even the Senate’s apartment building was safe for her. Padme reluctantly accepted the Council’s conclusion that it was safest for her to remain within the Temple until they secured a safe place for her. It was there within a private quarter that they had given her that Senator Palpatine came to visit a few hours later after Padme had managed to catch a little bit of rest. His features were heavily lined with concern as she greeted him in the common area. “Senator Palpatine,” Padme sighed tiredly as the older man took her hands after giving her a warm embrace.

            “How are you holding up, my dear?” The Senator asked as he squeezed her hands. Padme found that she oddly didn’t want the continued contact as she returned the grip. It was strange. She had known Palpatine ever since she first entered the Legislative Youth Program and he had been her mentor for years. But now…something about his touch made her skin crawl. She wanted desperately to pull her hands from his grip as he touched her reassuringly, his cold fingers holding hers until she forced the feeling down. It had been a long and traumatic day and she could find no other reason to dislike his touch beyond that fact. So instead of pulling away, like she wanted to, she allowed her hands to be held before he affectionately lead her over to the common area’s couch and gestured her to sit.

            “Well enough,” Padme conceded as the two took a seat upon the plain but comfortable furniture. The retired monarch poured them both a cup of tea from a kettle that had been brought to them and she nursed it with several spoonful’s of sugar.

            “My dear, no one would fault you if you were more than a little shaken up. It’s not every day that one avoids two separate attacks on their life.” Palpatine noted as he held the cup between his hands but didn’t drink it. “I am proud of you, though. We must show our adversaries that we are not afraid and will not be intimidated. No doubt this was all arranged by the Trade Federation or one of their supporters. I wouldn’t put it past them.” He muttered almost bitterly under his breath as he lifted the glass to his lips to finally take a drink.

            Padme could only nod her head every so softly in agreement. Senator Palpatine was waist deep in campaigning for the Supreme Chancellor’s office. Chancellor Valorem was set to finish out his final term towards the end of the year and the election was a short three months away. The timing of Nute Gunray’s trial and the assassination attempts on her life had pushed Naboo back in to the news in a way that was reminiscent of a few years ago when the Trade Federation first invaded her homeworld. Senator Palpatine’s visit left her feeling tired and drained after he had left. A dull headache again throbbed at her temples and she sat there for several long minutes trying to encourage her jaw to release the tension. She could feel herself clenching her teeth and it was beginning to make all the rest of her facial muscles ache.

            A small chime at her door drew her attention and she felt some measure of dread of having to deal with another person that day. She was tired wanted nothing more than to retire for the rest of the evening. Padme felt haunted by Obi-wan’s broken form and the knowledge that he was still in grave danger. The door opened to reveal the very last person Padme wanted to see but at the same time she felt a small smile spread across her features. She had been afraid of this meeting. “Hello, Anakin.” She said softly to the young boy who stood outside of her door.

            “Padme, you’re okay.” Anakin said and the young woman could hear emotion causing the edge of his voice to waver. The young boy had grown up quite a bit and was no longer the short child that she had known him as but was firmly within that awkward preteen stage. “I heard about the attack. I should have been there. I could have protected you and Obi-wan.” He stated as emotions twisted his features as he fought for control. “I should have been there…” His façade began to crumble in front of her eyes and she could see him twisting wildly through the storm of his emotions.

“Oh, Anakin…” Padme sighed as she reached for him and pulled him in to the room as to avoid curious eyes that might have been lurking outside in the hallway. He melted in to her arms and she pulled him close only for him to bury his face in to the hollow of her shoulder. His forehead pressed against her collarbone and she could feel him trembling subtly as he hugged him for a long moment. The hitch of his breath was audible only for a minute or two before he pulled away. His haunted eyes stared at her and Padme felt a pain seed itself in her chest. This the second time that she had to comfort him because the consequences caused by her actions. First Qui-gon and now Obi-wan.

 “I can…I can feel him suffering, Padme. He tries to block the pain from me but he is so weak.” Anakin breathed to her and she felt the lump rise from her stomach in to her throat. She hadn’t known that student learners and their Masters were linked like that through the Force. The realization made her lose her breath. Would Anakin know it if Obi-wan died? How would that translate across the Force? Padme wasn’t sure she wanted to know. She could not bring herself to ponder upon it for long and she felt her own features betray her internal conflict as her thoughts lingered upon her friend’s abused face and how his head had hung low between his shoulders. Her poor Obi-wan.

            “Oh, Anakin. This is all my fault.”

            “No, No, it’s not.” The Padawan mumbled as he furiously shook his head as if that motion alone would dispel the truth, “I should have been there. I should have! Obi-wan didn’t think I was strong enough to handle it but I am. He should have trusted me. None of this would have happened if he believed in me. Its not your fault.”

            Padme felt her heart twist painfully as she rested her head upon the top of Anakin’s head and ruffled the hair there. The silky strands were soften between her fingers and they helped to ground her as she allowed a breath to pass through her lips. She hadn’t realized she had been holding her breath until her lungs had started to crave fresh air. She had been afraid that Anakin would somehow blame her or resent her in some way. At the same time, she knew and understood Anakin’s frustration. Sadly, Anakin was wrong. From what she had seen during the ensuing assassination attempt and resulting firefight…Obi-wan and Iria had been lucky enough to survive the attack themselves. She could remember how quickly their bodies had moved to deflect the fatal laser bolts from their targets. Their plasma swords had moved so quickly that they had become a blur and Padme could only see the wide arcs of colored light that were their weapons. It had all been too much for even them. She could not see how Anakin could have helped. His Master would have had two people to protect and his focus would have been split. He would have been caught between helping his Padawan fight and protecting her. Anakin would have died along with the rest of them. Obi-wan had not made a mistake in keeping Anakin from the mission although the Padawan would never see it that way.

            “Anakin…its late. You should rest. We both should, actually. It’s been a long day.” Padme admitted softly as she folded her hands in front of her as she spoke. She wanted nothing more than to crawl in to bed and cry until her tears ran dry. She needed time for herself to digest all of what had happened and yet no one seemed to acknowledge that yet. Padme had felt herself growing short with Palpatine but she felt herself growing desperate with Anakin in front of her. She couldn’t do this for much longer.

            “I’ll stay here with you. That way, I can protect you just in case the assassins try again.” Anakin stated simply, almost excited with the prospect, but Padme slowly shook her head from side to side. The fall of the Padawan’s face was clearly evident upon his features. “No? Why not?”

            “No, it wouldn’t be appropriate. The Council was kind enough to let me stay here for the time being but that would be stepping over the line, I think.” Padme noted as she noted the dark scowl on the Padawan’s face. “I appreciate the thought, though.”

            “You’re probably right,” The young Padawan conceded after a few minutes as his shoulders slumped. He was still upset but tired enough to agree with her. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

            “Perhaps,” Padme said as she pushed a gentle smile across her features, “Good night, Anakin.”

            “Good night, Padme.” The Padawan said longingly as he stood at the doorway. Padme could not help but notice some things about his youthful face. She could see the beginnings of the young man he was growing in to and she somehow knew that he would be attractive. It seemed as though the uniform of the Jedi Order fit him well. She let the door remain open for a few seconds after he had stepped through it before she brushed her finger across the control pad to shut the door and secure it behind him. She felt her heart breaking as she lifted her hand to her face and covered her eyes with her fingers. She had hoped to avoid seeing the young Padawan but he had sought her out. What could she say to make the situation any better besides apologizing? There was a possibility that they might find Obi-wan but be unable to save him before the mercenaries killed him. Padme forced herself to hope and have faith that everything would be alright but it was difficult. There were so many things that darkened her thoughts and so the night’s sleep was fitful and filled with night terrors once sleep finally found her after several hours.

            Padme found herself waking up to the thick but phantom smell of explosive powder and nonexistent screams. She suspected that some of what she had heard had been her own cries. Her nightmares had been very real but appeared less so with the arrival of sunlight through her bedroom window. The retired Nubian monarch pulled the robe around her thin form to fight off the early morning chill as she reclined in the sofa. The young woman felt numb as she sat there for a long time trying to collect herself. The holotelevision projector that Panaka had left for her sat unused on the table in front of her. She did not have the heart to activate it. Padme knew for certain that the assassination attempt would be plastered over every news channel and they would play pieces of the attack. They were images that she could not bear to relive. In the end despite Obi-wan’s and Iria’s best efforts, nine civilians were killed during the attack including two men from her security team. They were men she had been familiar with ever since she was Queen. They celebrated their birthdays and both had families with young children. How was she ever going to tell their families?

            ‘ _So much death_ ’, Padme thought as she brought a hand to her face and covered her eyes as she tried to still her mind. She drew in a shaky breath and willed for this to all be over. A beep from her door drew her attention and she opened an eye to look at it between her fingers. She did not want to get up and see who the person was. Half of her expected it to be Anakin and that was a face that she could not confront all day. He adored her but she was the source of all of his pain. First Qui-gon and now Obi-wan. Again the chime rang and Padme could not ignore it a second time though she did not hurry. She slowly stood and made her way over to the door before pressing the intercom button. “Who is it?” She asked though she tried to keep the tired element from her voice.

            “ _Ms. Amidala, the Council is urgently requesting your presence. They say it’s important that you hurry.”_ The voice said across the intercom. It was a familiar voice, one of a Youngling that had helped her get settled in to her quarters yesterday. Padme opened the door and saw the somewhat familiar but concerned face of a Tortuga Youngling. The eight year old’s bright orange skin was flushed and her breathing was deep in such a way that Padme wondered if the Youngling had ran to retrieve her.

            “Ahsoka,” Padme said as she suddenly remembered the girl’s name, “Tell them I will be right there.” The young woman said only for the young Youngling to nod her head slightly in understanding. Padme quickly disappeared in to her room where she knew Panaka had left a few sets of her clothes with her. Forgoing the dresses that would have taken time, Padme picked out a set of tight pants and coordinating blouse with an accompanying jacket. She was feeling very insecure and the tighter clothes helped her feel less so. It had only taken her a scant few minutes to get ready and to throw her hair up in to a tight bun. Ahsoka was still waiting for her at the door when it opened again and they quickly made their way to the Council’s room.

            “Amidala…” Mace Windu said as he approached her side. The Council room was empty save for only a handful of Masters who wore grim expressions.

            “What is happening?” Padme asked quickly after Ahsoka had been dismissed and the room secured.

            “The mercenaries have contacted us a third time to reiterate their demands. It is our hope to trace their transmission but we must keep them talking. Would you be willing to help buy us some time?” The respected Jedi said slowly with a deep rumble in the back of his throat. Something was off with him, however, and Padme had a sinking feeling that the last transmission did not go as well as the Council had hoped.

            “You want to use me as a distraction,” Padme noted with a soft frown tugging at her own features. Mace Windu’s head tipped lightly in concession.

            “I will warn you…they will try to scare you but you must hold true.” Another Jedi warned her as she came up to join with Windu and Amidala. The Jedi was a beautiful woman with dark skin and a mark between her eyes. Padme instantly remembered her as being one of the Jedi who had visited Naboo for Qui-gon’s funeral though she could not remember her name. “I am afraid that this transmission will be trying for you.”

            “I am prepared,” Padme said as she drew herself up and took a deep breath to steel herself. “I will do my best.” There was a ripple of affirmation from all of the Jedi present before they took their positions. Others scattered along the peripheral out of the holo-communincation system’s reach but Mace Windu took position by her left shoulder. His strong presence filled the air around her and Padme felt her throat tighten as the Jedi nodded. It was a few seconds later that the transmission engaged and Padme found herself face to face with a very cross Javis. There was a slight tick of tension in his face as his sharp eyes cut through her as he stared her down.

            “ _Amidala,”_ Javis hissed out lowly in greeting, “ _I am surprised to see you here. Perhaps now we can get down to the business at hand. I **want** my money.” _ The man’s words dripped venom and Padme felt her throat tighten.

            “My bounty, you mean.” Amidala said slowly as she thought to keep her cool exterior. It was incredibly difficult because indeed the man did frighten her. No, terrified her. She recognized his stance now. He had been the one standing over Obi-wan on the platform. He must have been the one that had shot him before. He was the one that had almost killed Obi-wan the first time. “Who hired you? Who wants me dead?”

            “ _You don’t get to ask me questions, sweetheart. It’s a job. All that matters to me is if the check clears the bank or not and frankly…I don’t give a shit. All you are is a mark.”_ Javis said before his eyes began to roam over her, taking her in from head to toe, and made her skin crawl. _“Although,_ ” His eyes lingered upon the curve of her hips as he said that, “ _You’re not too bad on the eyes. I would hate ruining that pretty chest of yours with a kill shot.”_ He sickeningly purred as a tongue probed his teeth, smacking his lips to punctuate his thoughts. Padme felt her distress flare only to feel Mace Windu shift before his body half eclipsed her from Javis’ view.

            “That is enough,” Mace Windu said slowly but there was a finality to the Master Jedi’s words. That tone brought a cruel smile to Javis’ lips. His face contorted as he looked the Jedi up and down though he looked entirely unimpressed. Padme felt the almost overriding desire to hide herself further behind Mace Windu if only to break Javis’ eye contact on her. Her very skin felt dirty as his eyes had stripped her bare leaving her feeling exposed and raw.

            “ _Master Windu,_ ” Javis noted with a displeased air though his smirk never left his face. “ _I thought I had made myself clear. I warned you…”_

            “We’re here to negotiate, Javis.” Mace Windu noted with the smallest shake of his head. “Nothing more.”

            “ _Noooo,_ ” Javis lowed deeply in his chest but there was a hint of venom that dripped off his words. “ _I know what you are trying to do. You are trying to trace this transmission. I am not stupid, Master Jedi. Your Jedi will die for your foolishness._ ” Javis said as his attention turned to his wrist where he wore a small control pad.

            “Stop!,” Padme said as she suddenly found her courage, stepping out from around Mace Windu, when she thought that Javis was about to cut the transmission short. She was almost proven correct as his finger lifted to press a button though he paused when he heard her panicked command. A dark smile spread across his features as he looked up at her as she continued. “I need time…what you’re asking…I need time.”

            “ _That will cost you, little lady._ ” Javis noted as his eyes again roamed over her body though she did not outwardly flinch. “ _The asking price is now three hundred and fifty thousand credits. You have seventy-two hours, Amidala.”_ Javis said before he smiled slightly and took several steps back. The transmitter shifted slightly and followed Javis bringing an Obi-wan in to view. Padme kept herself from crying out but there was no denying that Padme tasted blood as she bit down on her lower lip to keep herself silent.

            Obi-wan dangled from the ceiling, half suspended by his wrists from chains so that his feet barely touched the floor thus keeping him on perpetual tiptoes without relief. His once clean bandages were now saturated with blood and his body bore noticeable signs of torture. Padme would have thought he was dead if it were not for the subtle movement of his chest. Her friend was otherwise unconscious or too weak to lift his head. “You’re killing him.” Padme blurted out and could not hide the heat from her words. If ever she hated it was right then and there.

            “ _Wrong. You are._ ” Javis hissed as he caught a small cannister that was tossed to him from off screen. “ _Things wouldn’t have to be this way if it were not for your pathetic attempts to play hero. All I want…is my money…and you are the ones that are making that difficult. I am going to give you a bit more of an incentive to keep this new timetable._ ” Javis said as he wiggled the cannister in his hand to punctuate his words before he accepted an injection gun and screwed the cannister in. “ _What I have here is a cannister full of blood worm eggs. I’ll let your Jedi friend explain the implications._ ” The man cruelly noted as if almost daring Mace Windu to be honest.

            “What are they?” Padme whispered when Mace Windu did not immediately explain. The Master Jedi’s face was unreadable as he watched Javis, staring at him as if it were a battle of wills.

            “Internal parasites…” Mace Windu growled.

            “ _Ding ding ding! Give that man a present, kids._ ” The mercenary noted sarcastically, “ _What your Jedi lovingly omitted is that they absolutely love blood, especially very oxygenated blood. So! What does that mean? That means that unless I receive my money in seventy two hours, your Jedi friend will be a stone cold dead corpse. The eggs hatch within twenty four hours at which point they will begin to seek out the most oxygen rich blood in your young friend’s body! If he does not receive the treatment to stop them before they reach their maturity within forty eight hours after that, they will burrow in to the tissue of his heart and lungs, choking the very life out of his body. Not a pleasant way to die. Very painful. And if he isn’t dead by then…I will kill him myself.”_ Javis noted as a mock sad face as he plunged the needle of the injection gun in to Obi-wan’s thigh. “ _Tick tock, kiddies. Time is ticking_.” Javis hissed darkly before the transmission suddenly cut out.

            There was dead silence in the room as the lights slowly brightened. Padme would wonder later if a grave would have been louder than that communication’s room before anyone dared to speak. It was Padme herself who ended up breaking the silence. She could feel her body trembling and she forced her hands to release from their tight clench. She didn’t know whether to rage or cry even as her head pounding out a painful beat in time with her heart as it beat furiously in her chest. “Seventy two hours…We don’t even know if he is on the planet anymore.”

            “Blood worms do not handle the conditions of space travel well. They are sensitive to vibrations generated by hyperspace jumps which causes them to prematurely hatch and are unable to mature before they starve to death. They are on the planet.” Mace Windu said as his eyes turned to look at one of the other Jedi Masters, the young woman that had spoken to Padme before. “That cannister was a short term vessel and could have only sustained the eggs for a very short amount of time. They cannot survive outside of a body for long, hours at most. Did we get a trace on the transmission?”

            “The transmission cut out before we could get a good lock on.” She said as her eyes turned downward to view the computer screen that stood at waist level to her.

            Mace Windu nodded before turning his attention back to her. “I’ll have someone escort you back to your quarters. That will be all for now.”

            “I can help.”

            “Your life is still in danger. The only thing that you _can_ do. If they kill you then everything we have done, what Obi-wan has sacrificed, would have been for nothing.” Mace Windu stated bluntly though his words lacked the edge that Padme had been expecting. His face was nearly emotionless until Padme looked in his eyes and saw the conflict there before Yoda tapped the floor with his cane to draw everyone’s attention to him. His face was grim but determined. It seemed as though she was not the only one who suffered from the emotional toll that the transmission had presented.

            “Search for the source of the blood worms, we will. Track down the mercenaries to save Obi-wan move quickly we must.” The wise Jedi Master stated firmly and for one brief moment Padme allowed herself to hope.

            That measure of hope began to fade as the hours slipped away like grains of sand or tentacles of thin smoke between her fingers. An hour quickly turned in to two, which turned in to six until over a day and a half had passed. The private quarters that she was temporarily living in seemed all too small now as she circled the room, pacing, to expend the nervous energy that rippled through her body. Anakin watched her from the recliner on which he sat but he too was fighting his own anxiety. She could see it in his hands, the way that they were clasped together though ultimately hidden in the sleeves of his Jedi robe and the tension that etched lines in his face. Deep bags beneath his eyes had begun to show and he had confessed that he had not been sleeping ever since this all began.

            The Padawan could feel his Master’s plight through their thin Force Bond, or so he had explained. Obi-wan was trying to filter the connection as much as possible to keep Anakin from the worst of his pain, Anakin had said, but his Master was weakening quickly.

            Padme chewed on her thumbnail as she turned at a corner and turned back to look out at the window to keep from looking at Anakin’s tortured expression. He was leaning emotionally on her, using her as his crutch to keep himself together, but Padme herself felt close to emotionally breaking down. She knew that she had to keep it together but it was difficult, especially when she knew that there was more that she could be doing besides wasting time and almost literally twiddling her thumbs.

            “Anakin, what would your Master do?” Padme asked softly at some point and turned to look at the Padawan who had been watching her. “If positions were reversed, what would he do?”

            Anakin’s brow furled as he pulled his arms tighter across his chest as his head bowed in thought. “He would listen to the Council and would just wait.” The Padawan muttered bitterly before he forced himself to take a deep breath. His head tilted to the side as his eyes closed and she could see his lips pressing tightly together as he thought seriously about the question. “I don’t know. Go to see Dex, I suppose.” Anakin finally decided.

            “Who is Dex?”

            “One of Obi-wan’s friends. I’m not sure how Obi-wan got to be friends with him but he owns a dinner. The fella knows a lot of people so usually when Obi-wan is looking for something or someone, he sometimes goes there when normal methods come up empty.” Anakin said as he rubbed his face tiredly, “It’s in the industrial district.” The Padawan noted before he rubbed his face again, his fingers digging in to the corner of his eyes, before he allowed his hand to drop in his lap. “Why?”

            “The mercenaries have injected Obi-wan with blood parasites, ones that evidently can’t be transported easily so the Council thinks that there was a supplier involved. If we can find the supplier…”

            “…we can find the mercenaries…” Anakin finished for her as his eyes widened and his face clearly brightened with the realization. The Padawan pushed his feet beneath him and launched himself a few steps, the cloak that he wore swirling behind him, before a thought seemingly froze him in place. “But the Council…”

            Padme had already reached for her jacket to put on and had set about securing a blaster to her belt. The heavy feel of it against her hip was a welcomed sensation when her world felt balanced upon the edge of a blade. The security in it helped to clear her mind and strengthen her resolve. “The best I figure, better to ask forgiveness then permission.” Padme noted as she double checked the blaster’s powercell. “I am not under arrest so technically, I am permitted to leave whenever I want. If you want to protect me, I guess you’ll just have to come with me.” She said as she leveled her eyes at the Padawan only to see him smirking back at her.

            “I shouldn’t tell you that the speeders are located in the 5A Garage then.” Anakin said slowly although it was impossible to hide the glint in his eye or the excitement that threatened to tug upon his features. Everything about him said ‘dare me’ before some realization spread across his features and he turned almost sheepish. “You’ll have to drive…Obi-wan suspended my driving privileges after crashing the last speeder I drove while on a mission.” He mumbled and Padme found herself smirking slightly. There was obviously a story behind that admission.

            “I imagine he wasn’t pleased.”

            “No, he wasn’t. It wasn’t as if it was my fault and his seat parachute deployed so…”

            _Oh my…._ Padme thought. They did not dwell for more than a few seconds more before the pair were off and down the corridor. Anakin guided her to the garage where he picked a small two person speeder for her to pilot. It was a few minutes later that Padme merged seamlessly in to the traffic lane which carried them further and further away from the Temple. Coruscant traffic was thick, however, and Padme found herself becoming increasingly frustrated the longer it took for the two rebellious rescuers to make it to the industrial district. The dinner was not something she expected.

            It was well put together but it was older and…grungier…than what Padme had envisioned. Certainly it was a place where the workers from the many factories nearby would no doubt stop by and get a bite to eat. It certainly had a well broken in feel to it that Padme did not find uninviting. A robot hostess greeted them and Padme found herself inwardly smiling at the curious accent that she had been programmed with. “Honey! Some peoples wannt’a speak wit’ yous. Jedi by the look of ‘em.” She called out to the back only for Padme to see the wide and grinning face of the cook poke out of the kitchen.

            “Eeeehhh. I know you!” The four armed alien commented to Anakin as he squeezed his girth between the narrow space between the counter tops to reach them even as two of his hands cleaned themselves on the edge of his oil stained apron. “You’re Obi-wan’s kid…Where’s Obi-wan? Parking the speeder I expect.” The man spoke warmly and somehow Padme found that she instantly liked Dex. She understood why Obi-wan would have become friends with him.

            “I am sorry but we don’t have the time. Obi-wan is the reason why we’re here to talk to you.” Padme interjected softly and she saw the surprised way the Besalisk’s thick eyebrows lifted away from his small eyes and his thick lips pursed in concern. His jovial personality shifted slightly as he gestured to one of the empty tables far back in the corner of the dinner.

            “What kind of trouble has Kenobi gotten himself in to now?” The dinner’s cook inquired as the two sat down on one side of the table while he squeezed himself in to the booth on the opposite side. Anakin shifted by her side and Padme looked to him only to see the color draining out his face as he turned and looked at Padme, subtly shaking his head. They were running out of time if what Anakin was feeling was any indication.

            “It doesn’t matter what kind of trouble he’s in, the truth is that he doesn’t have a lot of time. We’re looking for information on any underground suppliers that might have access to blood worms. Would you know of anyone?” Anakin pressed before one of Dex’s meaty hands lifted to his huge chin to stoke the sides of his jaw. “Please.”

            “I know of two guys, eh, make that one guy… that dabble in that kind of stuff but you might have a hard time finding him.” Dex mumbled thickly.

            “What about the other one?” Padme spoke up.

            “Oh, he’s dead.” Dex noted with a grunt which made Padme and Anakin immediately look to each other.

            “When did he die?”

            “Well, they found his body this morning, but I am not sure when he actually kicked the can. One of my contacts just told me about it. Nagin wasn’t the brightest fella in dealing with people but he knew his stuff. If he was alive I would have pointed you in his direction.”

            Padme felt a hard lump rise up in her throat. She tried to swallow it back down but it refused to budge. “Do you have his address? Anything?” Anakin pressed and Padme could feel him fighting back the intense urge to hurry.

            Dex rumbled deep in his chest as he closed his eyes in thought. “No, I don’t.” The massive alien replied and Padme put a hand on Anakin’s clenched fist beneath the table as she saw the Padawan’s muscles along the side of his jaw tighten. She did her best to extrude calm. Brashness was something that they could not afford although technically what they were doing would be considered ‘brash’ by some. “But I might know someone who does. Let me go make a couple of calls.” Dex said before he extracted himself from the booth and made his way back over to the opposite side of the corner before his girth disappeared beyond a door that Padme could only assume was the dinner’s manager office.

            “Breathe, Annie.” Padme whispered softly to the Padawan at her side. She could feel his hand stretch beneath hers to release some of the tension that curled his fingers and whited out his knuckles. His entire body was like a coiled spring and she could feel him struggle.

            “My Master is dying, Padme. We don’t have much time to run around in circles.” The Padawan muttered darkly and she saw him shutter in his seat.

            “We’ll save him, Anakin.” The young woman reassured the Padawan only to feel doubt in her own words. Two orders of Jawa Juice was set down in front of them as they waited and Padme sipped on hers while Anakin all but ignored his own glass. Padme could not help but stand when Dex came over and extended a small scrap piece of paper to her. His writing was surprisingly small and neat considering how large his hands were.

            “Ere. I got an address for yahs. I am hopin’ that’ll help.” Dex noted with a subtle frown tugging on his features. “I’ll keep m’ears out for anything. Leave yer contact info with FLO. She’ll be keepin’ me informed.” The Besalisk said as he crossed his thick arms across his chest and a deep rumble escaped from his chest as Anakin slid out of the seat and rose only for Padme to hand him the piece of paper for safe keeping.

            “Thank you for all of your help, Dex.” Padme said softly as Anakin buried the piece of paper deep within a pocket after quickly memorizing it.

            “I’ll be hearin’ from ya soon.” There was no argument to his statement nor was it a request.

            The address ended up leading them further in to the seedier underbelly of Coruscant. Anakin’s eyes peered out restlessly from underneath his dark brown hood as he took up sentry position behind Padme as she looked up at the face of the building that they had been lead to. “I don’t like the feel of this place.” Anakin muttered to her and Padme could not help but quietly acknowledge that she had a bad feeling too. The area made Padme feel uneasy, just the same as Anakin, but they both knew that there was a reason why they were here.

            “We need to get in. The address says that Nagin’s room was on the thirteenth floor.” Padme noted as she eyed the levels though could not tell exactly where his apartment was located. “But how…” She felt Anakin shift around her to look at the door. It was a number pad entry but the pin pad itself was old and worn over the years. She touched it against her better judgement and started when the top shield of the pad shifted beneath her fingers. Surprised by the movement, Padme turned her hand to lift one corner of the shield and was surprised to feel it completely lift free to expose the wires beneath.

            “It’s been tempered with.” Anakin noted as he casted a wary eye at their surroundings before he squeezed past her to look at the newest development. He pulled the shield free of its housing and looked at the wires and control panel beneath. “See? These wires have been stripped. No doubt someone used a compact override computer to get past the lock on the door.” The young Padawan noted as Padme looked over his shoulder at the complex looking mass of wires. Her eyes followed his fingers until she saw where the plastic coating of some of the wires had been cut away to reveal the metal beneath.

            “What does that mean for us?”

            “That this Nagin guy may indeed worked with the mercenaries.” Anakin noted as he went about quickly rewiring the doors. With a few sparks and the smell of burning plastic came the hiss of the doors opening. Padme could not help but ruffle Anakin’s hair as the Padawan put back the shield and hid the evidence of his tampering. They quickly entered before finding the lift that would take them to the thirteenth floor and hopefully bring them one step closer to finding Obi-wan.

            Holoimage police tape greeted them as the door to the lift opened. The bright but nonexistent yellow strips of light caught their eyes at the end of the hallway and Padme felt her hand go to her nose and mouth as she smelled things that she wish she didn’t. Blood was among them. They brought fresh and traumatic memories to the forefront of her mind and it took all that Padme had to keep from throwing up. The sight of Obi-wan’s crumpled body at the feet of the mercenaries flashed through her mind’s eye. “Let’s hurry and get out of here.” Padme muttered from behind her fingers as Anakin stepped forward and so was the first to reach their destination. He stepped through the first series of holotape and stood at the door, his eyes warily examining the second and third strips that crisscrossed in front of the door indicating that no entry was allowed.

            “I don’t sense anything but I’ll go in first.” Anakin noted and Padme saw his fingers lift the lightsaber form his belt. She felt her hand go to her blaster in response as she shifted her stance slightly. There was no knowing what would happen once they crossed the threshold. Sure, the Coruscant police and investigators had swept the room prior, but an unknown amount of time had happened since they left. It could very well be that others had come by and paid an unwelcomed visit. Padme lingered at the door as Anakin did a quick sweep of the apartment. The young woman and former monarch could not help but feel some measure of stress when the young Padawan slipped out of her line of sight as he turned the tight corner at the end of the short foyer. It was a nerve wracking thirty to forty seconds before he reappeared. “All clear.”

            “Thank the Stars.” Padme sighed and slipped in, all too grateful for the closed door at her back. She was feeling far too paranoid and exposed out in the hallway. The small room, however, did very little to soothe her anxieties when she entered completely. The apartment was filled, from wall to wall, with tanks. The smells that she had experienced out in the hallway were far stronger in the apartment and she realized what was the ultimate source.  A multitude of eyes stared at them through glass enclosures that filled the apartment and Padme felt herself heave as she spied a pile of maggots crawled over a mound of rotting meat in one particular cage. She must have made a sound or Anakin must have felt her distress because he turned his attention from a cage that he had been inspecting back to her.

            “You alright, Padme?” He asked softly, his voice rippling with concern, as his eyes held her tightly.

            “Still must be internalizing still…” Padme mumbled as she willed herself to focus on something other than the rotting meat. She felt herself heave again as a creature lifted a long tongue to clean one of its own protruding eye from within another cage. “Where do we even begin? I don’t even know what to look for.” She said, her voice thick with the nausea tickled at her insides, as she forced herself to look at the rest of the apartment and not the cages. Padme didn’t know where to begin. There were so many sights and smells that it was almost overwhelming. She saw Anakin’s face darken and cloud over as his eyes turned down to the inspection place markers and blood stain at his feet. The body of Nagin had long been removed and all that marked his demise was a wide blood stain that Padme took great care to avoid. The bright yellow plastic tents noted where evidence had been though it had been collected already. Without going to Coruscant police they wouldn’t know what had been taken and why. That would alert the Jedi Council. Padme was beginning to wonder how long it would take for anyone to notice that they were gone.

            “Just start looking for anything out of the ordinary. Something that a normal person might not give a second glance or thought. Maybe the police missed something.” Anakin said a little more confidently than probably what he felt. It was a daunting task. Everything in the apartment had been turned over by the police and the messy work area where the supplier’s computer had once sat was half destroyed. Anakin was inspecting it as she turned her attention away from a pile of papers that had been shoved between the wall and one of the tanks. “Someone shot up his computer.” Anakin spoke as his fingers lightly touched the scorched marks that had punctured the screen of a computer that had been recessed in to the wall. Black carbon soot coated his fingertips as he pulled his hand and rubbed the residue upon his sleeve. “Looks like the mercenaries didn’t want to leave any loose ends.” He noted with a frown.

            “They are thorough but I think things are changing. Javis, the new leader, strikes me as…”

            “As what?”

            “I don’t know…losing it. Like the power has gone to his head.” Padme replied as she remembered the way Javis’ eyes had looked to her in the last transmission. Sure, he had looked at her like she had been a piece of meat but she remembered the way that his eyes turned wild as he spoke about the parasites that he was about to inject in to Obi-wan. His face had taken on that sickening expression of joy, of being in control when no one else was, of having someone’s life resting entirely within his hands. Javis must have thought himself a god in that moment, a god of his own little world, and she suspected he would do anything to keep that power.

            “Obi-wan will try to take advantage of that then if he is strong enough in the attempt to escape.” Anakin frowned before his face twisted in a show of frustration and displeasure. “We forgot to grab a medpack before we left the Temple.”

            “There’s no going back now,” Padme noted as she turned back to look at him but caught something out of the corner of her eye as she did so. She almost dismissed it before she realized what she was doing. Anakin’s earlier words echoed softly in her head. She felt her heart quicken with some measure of realization. “Wait…” She noted softly as she slipped around the young Padawan who followed her movements. Half hidden behind a tank and a pile of supplies sequestered in the back corner was a small black box. The dark shadows had half hidden it until Padme had somehow caught a glimmer of reflection off of the small circular lens at the front of it.

            “It’s a video camera.” Anakin replied breathlessly as he checked the box, his fingers hoovering over it for a brief moment before he lifted it and they saw that there was a pair of cords that disappeared out of the back of it, one to a small microphone that had been hidden elsewhere and the other… “It must be connected to an external memory source. Follow the cord.” Anakin advised as both he and Padme attempted to do just that. It was nearly impossible. All too soon the cord was interwoven with countless others as it disappeared behind tanks. It was Anakin’s keen eye that picked out the video’s cord between all of the others that ran to the many tanks’ life support systems. The Padawan nearly crawled on his hands and knees as he attempted to follow it. He finally stopped beneath one of the largest tanks where the cord disappeared beneath it from behind. He hesitated only for a few seconds before outstretching his hand.

            Padme felt herself bite her lip as she watched him carefully slide his hand in to the narrow space beneath the tank in search of the external memory board. Adrenaline spiked through her blood like a hot rush as the Padawan suddenly  snatched, his body jerking sharply, and let out a sharp cry of pain. “Anakin!” She yelped in surprise only to see the mischievous glint of his eyes from between his lashes. Padme felt her face flush and burn as her heart thudded hard against her breastbone. Several curses and half veiled threats were muttered beneath her breath before she could stop herself. She would have been angry if it were not for the thin black minicomputer that Anakin withdrew a second later.There was a thin film of lint and dust on it which the Padawan brushed away with his sleeve. “Well?”

            “If you’re religious, start praying.” Anakin mumbled as he pried the lid open to reveal the computer’s control pad. “Please, please, please….” He breathed as his fingers went about activating the external memory drive.

            Nothing happened. Again Anakin’s fingers went through the motions again and yet the screen remained dark until he tried a  third time and the screen lit up in a bright blue as it came online. There was a collective sigh of relief from them both before Anakin went to work. “Well?”

            “The memory drive wipes itself every so many hours unless programmed otherwise…” The Padawan learner scowled and rubbed his face tiredly as Padme felt her chest constrict painfully. “Factory settings are twenty four hours.” Anakin muttered as he stared down at the monitor where a real time video of them played though the angle was odd as it looked through the width of the tank that it hid behind. Padme could see their own bodies almost bent double on the floor as they looked at the monitor. Deep lines marred Anakin’s brow as the wheels in his head obviously turned. Conflicting emotions warred across his features as his eyes turned to her. “We may have missed the window…Obi-wan was injected with the worms almost forty hours ago. Master Windu said that the eggs wouldn’t have lasted long out of a host body, right?”

            “A few hours, he said.” Padme confirmed as she felt her own features being weighed down with a worried frown. “Let us hope…” Padme could not bring herself to finish her sentence. ‘ _Let us hope this is not a dead end’_  was what she was going to say but couldn’t. If this did not give up any information than they were out of leads and options. There was a heavy lump in her throat as she watched Anakin’s finger touch the screen where the slider bar blinked slowly. There was a very real possibility that the video that they had needed was deleted hours ago. She watched as time began to reverse with Anakin’s finger the guiding force.


	11. Out of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time is running out. Obi-wan knows this. He can feel his strength running out as the clock marks the passage of time. His thoughts drift to other things as he ponders the choices he has made and their consequences. Can he dare to hope or is he simply preparing himself for the inevitable?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grab your tissues, folks. This was an emotional chapter for me to write but Obi-wan refused to take things laying down. Be prepared for a wild ride and look forward for Anakin's POV for the next chapter. Please remember to leave a review or a kudos. Happy Holidays everyone.

            _Obi-wan’s attention was both inward and outward. He could feel the Force flowing through him and around him. He saw the light of the Living Force in the people around him. Their bodies showed a shadowy outline while the flare of life filled their core like a lantern lit by a fire. Most were a gentle light but some burned more brightly than others. He felt the flare of the Force as one of those bright light approached him. The Force meanwhile wove over his body as he manipulated it. He felt the heavy steel containers in front of him lift from the ground. The Force cradled the containers as he manipulated them before settling the containers in organized stacks upon the transport’s flatbed before him. He allowed the Force around him to evaporate but not before he drew it deep in to his bod y to fortify himself._

_“Here,” Padme said as she extended a water bottle to him. Obi-wan took it wordlessly from her before bringing it’s open mouth to his own lips. “Have you eaten yet?”_

_“I’m not hungry,” Obi-wan said as he closed the cap with a twist and handed it back to her. He paused to look at her for a long moment. It had been almost a week since Qui-gon’s funeral and Padme was helping with the repair efforts within Theed. She had made a point to tour the concentration camps herself and meet with the families who had lost loved ones during the Trade Federation’s invasion and occupation. Many of appearances had been public with her wearing the Queen façade but there were just as many times that she took on the mantle of a handmaiden to slip out and physically help with the efforts. The people of Theed were grateful for any helping hand so many people didn’t even look at her twice._

_Time and time again Obi-wan was finding himself humbled by the people of Naboo. They were very resilient and shared openly with what they had even though there wasn’t much. Supplies were still scarce but assistance was pouring in from other star systems to help._

_“I’m not asking if you were hungry. I was asking if you had eaten yet.” Padme stated as she took back the water bottle and Obi-wan spied a lunch box in her left hand as it rested upon her hip. Her eyes flashed with a challenge and almost dared him to lie to her. She knew the truth. She had no doubt been keeping tabs on him ever since Qui-gon’s passing. She was the only one that had seen him break down in the dark shadows of the cremation pyre and watched silently as he poured out his grief. It was Padme that held him when his body could no longer hold his weight and his shoulders shook with great heaving sobs. It was her…the same woman that braved the deserts with him on Tatooine and bandaged his wounds. “Come on, you need to eat. I brought lunch.” Padme said as she began walking over to a set of empty containers that had been set off to the side against the wall of a building. Obi-wan followed her without putting up a fight. There was no arguing with her._

_The afternoon shade covered the containers and brought a little relief from the bright sun. It had been very fair weather for the last couple of days and Obi-wan could feel the tingle of sunburn beginning to itch along the back of his neck. It had been too hot to wear his long robe and he had shed it hours ago once the cool morning temperatures had dissipated. It was firmly within Naboo’s late spring and flowers were blooming everywhere thus turning the air in to a symphony of smells._

_Obi-wan couldn’t bring himself to enjoy any of it. He tried but the world seemed so jaded now. He survived by being able to push himself through the motions. The work on Naboo helped. There were things to do…oh so many things…and by keeping busy he could keep himself from feeling too much. There was too much grief, too much hurt, too much pain. Obi-wan felt as if he ever stopped too long or thought too much that it would all become too overbearing. Releasing it in to the Force did not help. It was like an oil slick that would never lift free._

_Had Qui-gon cared about him in those final moments? Did he….did he matter? Or had it all been about Anakin at the end?_

_A tap on his chest brought him out of his thoughts and he turned his eyes down to look at Padme’s hand with an enclosed sandwich. She had tapped his chest with the back of her hand to get his attention when he had been lost in his own thoughts. He took it and peeled back the paper that kept the sandwich itself neatly together. “My mom made you a lunch.” Padme said as she took out her own sandwich. “She made us both one.”_

_“That was very kind of her,” Obi-wan said softly. Those words were perhaps the first words of actual casual conversation that he had all day. Words came slowly now. The sandwich stared at him from between the thin wax paper wrapping within his hand. He knew that he should eat. He knew that it had been a very long time since he had managed those few meager bites at breakfast. He knew but he almost could not bring himself to go through the actual motion of eating. He did not feel hungry but knew that he could not go without eating. He knew that he needed to eat but he knew that when he finally did manage a bite that it would be a whole different fight to actually swallow the food._

_Obi-wan caught the glimmer of color in the corner of Padme’s eye as she took a slow bite of her own sandwich. She was waiting for him to take a bite. She was watching him. It was with that knowledge that he finally forced his jaw to open and took an experimental bite. The soft bread gave way beneath his teeth and at first the bread was all he tasted. It was as he chewed that he could taste more and more of what Padme’s mother had prepared. It was…good. Obi-wan felt some measure tightness loosen in his chest as he slowly managed to swallow his small bite. It reappeared just as quickly as a thought entered his mind._

_Qui-gon would have enjoyed this._

_His Master would have scooted himself all the way back on the container and would have settled his back against the cool stone. He would have spread out the lunch and would have slowly enjoyed each bite. He was…or had been…a man of simple tastes._

_A lump in his throat threatened to choke him and he sought out the water bottle to battle it. Padme seemed to sense his sudden grief because she suddenly lifted her water bottle to him. “To Qui-gon.” She whispered softly._

_A hotness pressed at his eyes before he pushed it away and lifted his own water bottle, tapping the two lightly together. “To Qui-gon,” He agreed beneath his breath before he lifted the sandwich to his lips again and took another bite. That second bite went down a little bit easier._

_~~~_

“…Alert: Subject regaining consciousness.” A mechanical beep echoed close by and Obi-wan felt a cough brewing somewhere in the back of his throat. The smell and taste of both old and new blood filled his nose and mouth. It choked him. Gagged him. It coated his tongue in a thick paste that no amount of saliva would dispel. A moan tumbled from his lips and it reminded him of just how broken certain bones of his face were. Part of him had given upon his nose ever being straight again. He had lost count of how many times it had been broken and rebroken. It was now a bloody mess in the middle of an equally bloody mess that was his face. He could feel streams of dried blood caked against his skin as he struggled to bring moisture to his split lips. A flex of his tongue only brought the feel of fresh blood to his mouth as half healed scabs in his mouth were ripped open by the small movement.

            “So Sleeping Beauty finally decided to wake up,” A dark and sadly familiar voice greeted him. Obi-wan managed to slowly peel a half swollen eye open to look at his captor’s face. Blood caked along the edges of his lashes and only added to his discomfort as he sucked in a breath through his mouth. “I hope you enjoyed your rest.”

            “Not r-really,” Obi-wan managed only for Javis’ wicked grin to widen. The Jedi Knight was about ready to lob another smart remark when agony began to ripple through him. A moan of distress passed through his lips as the pain grew, his body tightening and locking as his entire body seized. His muscles felt like they were all about to rip apart and Obi-wan felt his face contort in a silence scream even as his lungs struggled to draw in breath. It was maddening. It was like a single wave that was seemingly unending. It just seemed to grow with no end in sight. It wasn’t until Obi-wan thought that he was going to pass out did the pain began to ebb away. It never disappeared completely but still lurked in the shadows. A low groan tumbled from the Jedi’s lips as all the muscles of his body slowly released and allowed him to sag in his restrains.

            “You know,” Javis began as he smiled at the Jedi, “I have never actually seen blood worms mature but I have to say…the medical reports are true. It does look incredibly painful. I am sure lesser men would be begging to be put out of their misery right now.”

            “ _….Bzzz….Warning: Patient vitals are in a degradation flux…immediate medical attention is required to avoid adverse and permanent injury and/or death.”_ The medical droid behind Obi-wan beeped.

            “Oops…Well, that’s unfortunate.” Javis noted with fake surprise and concern dripping off of his words.

            “You still have a chance to stop this…” Obi-wan noted weakly as he drew in a shaky breath. His body screamed at him. There was so much pain. It was difficult to determine where one pain began and the others ended. He was somehow surprised that he was still alive at this point but it looked like he wouldn’t be for much longer.

            “Mmm. I don’t think so.” Javis said as he slowly turned away before he turned and sank his fist deep in to Obi-wan’s abdomen. The Jedi felt his vision go dark as his body explode in a fresh wave of agony.

            “Javis, enough! We need him alive for the money transfer!” A voice from one of the other mercenaries angrily snarled and grabbed Javis’ fist as it lifted for another strike. “Enough!”

            “I decide when it is enough. I am in control, not you. Don’t ever touch me again.” Javis said as he shoved his man back. Obi-wan felt the waves of malicious intent that rolled off of the men. The two men at the card table shifted slightly and Obi-wan felt a throb of warning through the Force. Things were degrading within the group and Javis could feel his grip slipping. The half unhinged mercenary had mercilessly tortured him, taking joy in his powerlessness, but that violence had begun to leak over to the surviving members of the group. Tensions were high and cracks were beginning to show. Javis was lashing out as a result. No one was safe from him and he did not discriminate with his threats. He had already broken a new recruit’s nose and had fired off a warning shot at one point when he felt no one was giving him enough respect at one point. A string of curses echoed off of the walls as Javis retreated to the neighboring room that he had claimed as his. The door closed with a hiss thus leaving the main area quiet before

            Obi-wan knew that he was living on borrowed time. He had done his best to heal himself but he no longer had the strength to focus the Force as he needed to. Darkness was spreading across his vision and he knew that his body was weakening. Obi-wan doubted that he would survive the next torture session. There was shrapnel still in his body from the frag grenade and though the mercenary medical droid had done its best to remove as much as it could, it had not been able to remove it all. The dull ache in his chest reminded him of that much. When Javis finally cracked, it was only a matter of time and not of ‘if’, than he was sure to turn the entire mess in to a blood bath.

            The Jedi felt himself drifting along the edge of unconsciousness. Its great black darkness seemed so inviting. It was a way to avoid the nauseating pain that ripped through him. He sought what relief he could gain from the Force. He willed away the pain, the foreboding cloud of death that hung over him, and with it the guilt of perhaps not having done enough. He willed it all away and opened himself completely to the Force. Obi-wan tried to not feel afraid of death. It was another part of life and with it the Force. He would become one with the Cosmic Force and his journey here would be over.

            The Council would honor him and find a good Master for Anakin. The boy was incredibly bright. He would be a strong Jedi just like Qui-gon had foreseen…like he could foresee. Anakin was destined for greatness. And Padme…Obi-wan felt his thoughts faulter as his strength ebbed. His time was running short.

            All at once he was aware of a growing presence in the Force. It clawed at him desperately, greedily even. Obi-wan felt himself rouse from the edge of unconsciousness as it tugged at him. It was a familiar presence to him though it was hard to place in his growing delirium but all at once he knew.

 _“_ Anakin…” Obi-wan breathed softly and sensed a man nearby. His fingers probed Obi-wan’s wounds with a callous disregard thus eliciting a low moan of pain from him. No, it couldn’t be Anakin. The presence was too close, too near. His Padawan was supposed to be safe at the Temple but when he cast his reach though the Force he could feel his Padawan close by. This was wrong…this was wrong. This was wrong!

            “Lorence, get some fresh bandages later. Jedi’s wounds are beginning to fester.” A mercenary’s voice called out close to his ear and Obi-wan felt himself stir with a renewed strength. His Padawan was coming, probably against orders in the hopes of rescuing him. Anakin was going to get himself killed. That was something that Obi-wan could not let come to pass. He would protect Anakin with his dying breath.

            “Release me,” Obi-wan ordered though his voice was weak and distant. A sharp bark escaped from the mercenary as he walked around to look Obi-wan in the face. The Jedi Knight knew that he looked like death and no real threat. His face was bruised and swollen, his left eye swelled shut and his right eye nearly half a slit. A gash parted his left cheek and his lips were badly split and bloodied. He appeared as less than alive.

            “I think not,” The mercenary noted as he smirked and leaned in to look Obi-wan’s face. He was so close that Obi-wan could feel his breath as he talked. “I think you know the plan, Jedi.”

            “You will do as I say,” Obi-wan said slowly as he reached as deep in the Force as he could manage. He took ahold of the Force with all the strength that he could muster and even some that he did not know he possessed. A second wind, perhaps. Never the less, he felt the Force surge through him, “Release me from my chains and relinquish your weapon.” Obi-wan ordered lowly and pushed the man’s compliance through the Force. It took a few seconds but Obi-wan saw the tell-tale slackening of the man’s features as the compulsion took hold. The man’s companions were totally engrossed by a sports game on the holo network and so missed their co-conspirator going to the wall to drop the hook that suspended Obi-wan from the floor.

            Obi-wan felt his body recoil from the shock of standing once more on his own two feet. His broken body struggled to take his own weight and he wanted to scream as agony licked at him. His arms felt numb as blood rushed in to tissue that had been almost deprived of it for days. The joints of his shoulders audibly popped as they were allowed to move in such a way that they had not been allowed to since his capture. He took the blaster’s grip as it was handed to him and Obi-wan pushed a compulsion on to the man to sleep as he wrapped his fingers around the man’s wrist. Instantly the mercenary went boneless and slumped against the wall only to slide down it to the floor.

            It was about ten seconds before anyone noticed what had occurred. Obi-wan’s body screamed at him as he lifted his blaster and caught one of the mercenaries in the chest as he drew his weapon and angled it at the Jedi. The man took the shot and crumpled and with that the whole room descended in to chaos. Obi-wan twisted his body and ducked behind a shipping crate as blaster bolts filled the air and scorched the wall behind him. A terrible pain bloomed in his chest and Obi-wan grimaced as he pressed a hand against the center of his chest only to feel the Force throbbing with warning and urgency. Anakin was getting closer. His presence was panicked now, perhaps feeling the battle through the Force. Obi-wan refused to allow himself to be overwhelmed by the pain of his wounds. He was not fighting for his survival but for Anakin’s.

            “ **WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?”** Javis’ roar tore through the air as his door to his ‘quarters’ opened and he saw the ensuing fight. He drew his blaster and joined in to the fray, firing upon Obi-wan’s hiding place and edging his way around to get a better shot. Obi-wan felt him moving as he held the Force close to him. He ducked and felt the sizzle of plasma heat the air above his head only to fire off a shot at a mercenary that had managed to sneak around a corner to get a shot at him. He didn’t wait to see if his shot had hit true because he felt it in the Force. He felt the life in the mercenary wink out of existence.

            _Tink, tink, tink._

            Obi-wan recognized that sound. He felt the grenade through the Force as it bounced and skid across the floor. It passed by him and hit the corner of the wall in front of him followed by a second one. He grabbed them both by the Force and threw them back in the direction that they came and tucked his body down as low as he could manage behind the crate. The entire room around him exploded and heat enveloped him in a great wave that threatened to consume him. It was over in a flash. Smoke filled the air, vapors poured out of the damaged pipes that wove overhead. The room was plunged halfway in to darkness as the damaged overhead lights sputtered and flickered. Sparks cascaded from damaged wires.

            The Jedi dragged himself on to his hands and knees as his body recoiled from the concussion of the blast. Everything within his body, every fiber of his being, begged for him to stop. His body begged for him to give in to gravity and allow the ground to cradle his broken form. The Force slipped out of his grasp as his body heaved. The taste of stale stomach acid and half congealed blood greeted him as he became violently ill. He was given no time to recover as he suddenly found a steel toed boot in the soft of his stomach. The blow sent the air from his lungs as a hand seized him by the shoulder before a fist connected solidly with the side of his jaw. He was sent sprawling before a kick connected solidly with the side of his head almost knocking him out as he recoiled from the blows.

            “Damn you, Jedi.” Javis hissed as he grabbed a fistful of Obi-wan’s hair and sent him almost head first in to a shipping container. Obi-wan twisted his body and hit the container’s edge with his chest only to tuck his body and roll off to the side. He desperately sought to put his feet beneath him but Javis made it almost impossible. Every kick, every strike, every blow landed upon a wound or a broken bone that had barely begun to heal. Javis was merciless and Obi-wan felt useless as the mercenary systematically beat him down. “I will enjoy this…beating you to death with my own two hands.” Javis said as Obi-wan struggled to push his feet beneath him as he gripped the edge of a shipping crate to help support his weight. The mercenary landed a solid kick to the Jedi’s lower back which sent him sprawling, glancing off of another shipping container as he staggered. “It’s the least I can do. You have been a royal pain in my ass.”

            Obi-wan felt himself waver as the room spun. His heart pounded in his ears and he could feel the world growing smaller around him. He was fighting against the darkness as it slid across his vision. He had pushed himself past his limits long ago and his body was failing him. There was no winning here. Obi-wan twisted and felt hands on either side of his head before Javis’ forehead connected solidly with his own a split second later even as Obi-wan’s hands seized Javis’ vest to fight him off. The world exploded with white laced pain and Obi-wan staggered back before crumpling in the middle of the floor among the ruined remnants of the card table. The holo projector jabbed painfully in to his side and the smell of charred flesh from the nearby bodies filled the air.

            “You can die at any time, Jedi scum.” Javis’ cackle echoed in the damaged room, “Don’t wait on my account.” The mercenary drawled.

            Somehow someway Obi-wan found the ability to smile as a weak chuckle slipped past his lips. “You…first…” Obi-wan muttered softly as he managed to turn his right hand over and allowed the grenade’s pull pin to fall from his fingers and on to the steel floor. His fingers had found it a split second before Javis’ forehead had connected with his. There was a short intake of breath, what could only be a beginning of a rage induced scream, as Javis’ hand found the frag grenade at his waist that was missing a pin. There was no time for him to dislodge it before it violently detonated. A wave of heat washed over Obi-wan and all around him landed bits of debris. The room fell quiet. ‘ _It is…done…’_ Obi-wan thought to himself as the smoke began to settle and the fight ebbed out of him leaving him nothing but an empty shell.

            The fight was over. All of the mercenaries were dead. Javis was dead. The mission was done. 

            Obi-wan felt a numbness creeping through his body as time slipped away from him. There was so much pain but he somehow now welcomed it. He was so tired of fighting, so tired of always thinking he was never enough. This was the perfect time to let go. He had done his duty to the best of his ability. No one would blame him. He had tried…

_~~~~~_

_“He’s not sleeping,” The Jedi instructor sighed as she stood next to Obi-wan. The two Jedi overlooked the lecture hall where young initiates were all seated as a class was taking place. Anakin stuck out like a sore thumb or so Obi-wan noted as he looked at his future Padawan. The young boy stood at least a head taller than the oldest of the initiate group and was several years older. The Council had assigned Anakin to this lecture on top of his private tutoring. That had allowed for Obi-wan to catch up with Mae to talk about Anakin. He had not yet seen the boy since he had arrived home from his mission late last night._

_Obi-wan’s hand lifted to touch his face and pinch the bridge of his nose as he drew in a deep breath. It had been shy of a year since Anakin had come to the Temple. A year since Obi-wan had sent him ahead to the Temple to begin his Jedi training. A year since Qui-gon died in his arms. “It has been an emotional time for him.” Obi-wan said slowly as if measuring his words._

_“And for you,” Mae noted as she looked at him through the corner of her eye. Obi-wan drew himself up and threaded his arms in front of his chest. Obi-wan could not find an answer for her and she nodded her head slightly before she turned her attention to the group as they paired off for group assignments. Obi-wan sadly noted that Anakin was one of the last to find a partner as others paired off quickly. He was a stranger in a sea of friends. He had come to the Temple years later than the other Jedi initiates. He was behind both academically and socially. It wasn’t as if the other initiates were purposefully ignoring him but the result was the same._

_Anakin caught Obi-wan’s eye and the boy’s face visibly brightened for a moment before he was attention was diverted back to the lesson at hand. Obi-wan felt a heavy weight settle in to the center of his chest._

_Anakin…the Chosen One…Qui-gon’s final student…_

_“I need to arrange a meeting with the Council.” Obi-wan said finally after a long few moments of studying Anakin as he worked together with his partner. The young boy’s face twisted in concentration as he read aloud off of the datapad that he held between his hands._

_“I will submit the request.” Mae said softly, “And I will send Anakin to you when the lecture has concluded. Perhaps you can get him to tell you what is bothering him.”_

_“Perhaps but I don’t know if he trusts me yet.”_

_“Trust or not, he does look up to you. More than you know.”_

_“I am not so certain.” Obi-wan countered softly but he felt the slight tug of a gentle smirk at one corner of his mouth before dark thoughts entered his mind and he fought the shadows that they brought with them. Even if Anakin had forgiven him, Obi-wan would never forgive himself. Qui-gon had died because of him. His hand lifted to his face a second time to rub the bridge of his nose tiredly._

_“You should go rest. The lecture won’t be over for a few more hours.”_

_“I have some final paperwork to submit for debriefing. I will retire early after I speak with the Council,” Obi-wan said with a sigh although that wasn’t the whole truth. The paperwork amounted to very little but he could no bring himself to go lay down despite not sleeping well the last couple of nights. Nightmares greeted him more often than not when he closed his eyes at night._

_“Very well,” Mae replied as she looked at him for a long moment. Obi-wan tried to project the calm that he wish he felt as the Force shift as Mae peered through to look at him. It was a long moment before Mae released the piece of the Force that she had used and Obi-wan felt it settle once more in to the folds of the Force that hung peacefully about them.  “Go on then. I will send Anakin to you when he is done.”_

_Obi-wan bowed his upper body to the Jedi Master before him, “Thank you, Master. Please keep me updated on Anakin’s progress in his lessons.” The Jedi Knight gently requested before he threaded his arms across his chest and left. He felt as if he were moving through the motions as he went to the library and typed up the last bit of his last mission report to turn in. It had been a relatively uneventful diplomatic mission for which Obi-wan was grateful. Smooth missions made for easy debriefings. The young Jedi Knight had even found a potential Force initiate while he was on the thick forested planet of Kashyyk. It had been a surprise but a pleasant one. Obi-wan had made sure to send word off to the Temple before he had boarded his transportation home. He would not be the one to test the young Wookie. That duty fell to others that were more experienced and gifted in the Force than he was._

_All at once Obi-wan’s exhaustion weighed down upon him and he rested his chin in the palm of his hand as he leaned heavily upon the desk in front of him. His eyes no longer wanted to read the letters that filled the screen. It was all he could do in order to save his report and send it off for review. He rubbed his face with his palms and pulled at his hair to fight away the growing haze of his thought process._

_“Tired you look, hmm?” The rich deep voice of the Temple’s Grandmaster greeted him and Obi-wan felt himself jerk in surprise when he realized that he had not even heard the rhythmic tapping of Yoda’s cane as he approached._

_“Master Yoda,” Obi-wan said warmly as he turned to greet the ancient Jedi. “I was not expecting to see you here.”_

_“Not allowed in the Library am I?” Yoda smiled warmly, his wrinkled face crinkling with humor as his lips pursed. Obi-wan all at once felt a genuine smile pressing against his own lips. Yoda’s question was light and Obi-wan welcomed the gentle banter. His heart was heavy but he needed this. It was like a balm, however temporary it was, against the raw and jagged edges of his soul. A year was not near enough time to begin to heal from the wounds that Qui-gon’s death had inflicted upon him._

_“I never said that, Master.” Obi-wan returned the banter softly._

_“Ah, see I do.” Yoda chuckled warmly before he took several steps, his cane tapping against the stone floor tiles of the Library. “Come. Speak we must.” He said only for Obi-wan to stand without question and follow Yoda as he walked slowly. “Well your mission went?”_

_“Yes, Master Yoda.”_

_“To Kashyyk we sent Master Myune. Review the child you found for training we are.” Yoda hrm’ed happily and Obi-wan felt himself smile softly. He had happened by the child purely by the Force’s design. It had been a stroke of luck that Obi-wan had heard two Wookiee parents speaking about the young child’s developing abilities. In this case, the child was having violent Force visions and was having difficulty sleeping. Young Force sensitive children commonly had a difficult time with controlling their abilities as they began to manifest when they were young. Obi-wan had spent better part of a day interviewing the family and the child after determining that the two year old had potential._

_“ I am glad.” Obi-wan said softly before Master Yoda changed the subject._

_“Having trouble adjusting your future Padawan is.” The Grandmaster noted suddenly and Obi-wan felt surprise flash across his face before his lips pressed together in a thin line. Of course the Council would be watching Anakin closely. To them he represented everything the Chosen One’s prophecy represented. According to some, he was the one that would be responsible for resetting the balance of the Force. Obi-wan doubted that the prophecy was true but he had promised Qui-gon to train Anakin. It was Qui-gon who had believed the prophecy the most so Obi-wan was slowly accepting it. Anakin showed a strength in the Force that the Jedi had not seen in generations. But the fact that he was having difficulty adjusting was….difficult…_

_“I am not surprised considering all that he has been through. His training has been rather…unorthodox. I am planning on speaking with him today.” Obi-wan admitted with a soft but concerned frown twisting his features downward._

_“On his mother his thoughts linger.” Yoda sighed as he stopped alongside a tall window and stared out across Coruscant’s skyline. Obi-wan hung his head as he closed his eyes and crossed his arms in front of his chest in thought. His hands tightly gripped his biceps as a heaviness pressed down upon him._

_“That was what I was afraid of,” Obi-wan openly admitted. “Anakin had once told me that Qui-gon had been unable to win his mother’s freedom.”_

_“Guilt he feels perhaps. Guilt of abandoning his mother.”_

_“What do we do, Master?” Obi-wan asked with a heavy sigh. “There is not much we can do.”_

_Yoda said nothing for a long moment and Obi-wan watched as his wrinkles deepened and his ears drooped slightly as he thought. “Peace of mind we must give him.” The Grandmaster said finally._

_“How, Master?” Obi-wan could not hide the small note of surprise rise in his voice. “She is on Tatooine and still a slave.” Yoda slowly turned to look at him and Obi-wan felt a lump rise up in his throat. The light reflected in the Jedi Master’s solemn eyes and all at once Obi-wan began to connect the dots. He felt his heart begin to pound in his chest. “Master…”_

_“To Tatooine you must go.” Yoda acknowledged with a heavy sigh. “Off the record this mission must be.”_

_Obi-wan nodded his head quietly. There was a reason why Yoda had sought him out instead of calling for him to the High Council chamber. All meetings were recorded within that room. The Jedi Order, as being servants of the Republic, were bound by their laws. Slavery was illegal and to participate in slave trade was against the law. Anakin’s attachment to his mother was forcing the Council’s hand. If he could not focus than he would fail his training. They were all walking along the edge of a knife. Did they leave Anakin’s mother to her fate as a slave or did they free her? If Anakin found out that his mother was free than he might want to abandon his training and join her. But if they did not free her, he would be forever burdened by the self-inflicted guilt that he had abandoned her. Anakin was a good kid but his emotions ran strong and deep. That made things more difficult for all parties involved._

_The Jedi Knight understood more than anyone what that guilt would do to Anakin. Guilt was like a poison. It slowly festered and stewed beneath the surface, never out of reach and always present. His heart spasmed painfully in his chest. He never wanted his Padawan to feel this sort of pain, ever._

_“When do I leave?”_

_“Ready a ship is” Master Yoda acknowledged before he held out a small bag to Obi-wan who took it gingerly. He immediately felt the contents shift and squeezed the bag only to feel coins through the fabric. Obi-wan was reminded when they had been stuck on Tatooine the first time that their Republic credits had not been honored at the port. “Go. May the Force be with you.”_

_“And with you, Master. I will keep you updated when I can.” Obi-wan said softly as he bowed deeply after slipping the small bag in to the folds of his robe and in to the small pouch that he wore on his belt. It would have been a lie if Obi-wan said that he was not even a little bit disturbed as he checked out a ship from the Temple’s garage. He felt ill at ease as he reached forward from the pilot’s seat and flipped the series of ignition switches on the control panel in front of him as the ship slipped seamlessly from Coruscant’s atmosphere in to open space.  A series of beeps and twirls echoed in the cockpit as the astrodroid behind him prepared the hyperdrive for the jump they would need to make to arrive at their destination. “Are-nine, set coordinates for Tatooine.” Obi-wan ordered only for the droid to beep an acknowledgement. It was seconds before he initiated the hyperspace jump and felt the ship tremble beneath him as it engaged. The stars in front of him stretched and became nothing more than beams of light._

_Once the ship settled in the to the hyperlane Obi-wan felt himself sag in the pilot’s chair. His hand settled over his eyes as he tried to collect his thoughts. They were threatening to run wild and that was not a good thing for him. He was already emotionally and physically exhausted. “I have a bad feeling about this,” He said to no one in particular before he curled his fingers in to a fist and allowed his chin to rest upon it as he braced his elbow against the armrest._

_What was he doing? What was he hoping to accomplish by doing this? Obi-wan had no answers. He only hoped that things worked out for Anakin’s sake. As Obi-wan covered his eyes with his hand and released an accompanying sigh he could only think that it was going to be a long three days to Tatooine._

_~~~~~~~_

_Obi-wan could feel the rising disbelief and growing frustration brewing in his chest as he stared down at the winged junk dealer. The creature’s clothes were worn and dirty and his face was covered in messy stubble. In his clawed hands he worked a mechanical piece that had been badly welded together to keep it from falling apart. The Jedi knew that Anakin would have been able to fix that part but it appeared to beyond the Toydarian’s level of skill. That wasn’t the problem. The Toydarian refused to even look at Obi-wan much less speak to him as Obi-wan stood in the middle of his shop. So far he had been called a thief, a con man, and a few other brightly colored adjectives that could not be repeated. Things had gone from almost polite to poodoo as soon as Obi-wan had made his reasons for being there known. Watto, it seemed, had lost almost everything after Anakin had won the podrace. The junk dealer was barely scrapping by as it was but if Obi-wan had any luck of buying Shmi once upon a time, that window was now closed, especially when Watto found out that the mysterious stranger prior had been some how related to the young man standing in his shop._

_“I will keep coming back until I get the information that I need. The choice is up to you.” Obi-wan stated flatly as his eyes roamed the cluttered shelves and dirty floor of the shop. The Toydarian spat and grumbled beneath his breath. The Huttese words that spilled from the shop dealer’s mouth made Obi-wan’s nose crinkle. The last time he had heard vocabulary this bad, he was pretending to be a deck hand on a ship during a spice sting operation with his Master. To think…Anakin had been a slave to this creature. Seeing what Anakin possibly went through as a slave made Obi-wan a little more aware of just why Anakin was the way that he was._

_Watto hissed between his chipped and missing teeth before he pointed a screwdriver tool at the Jedi, “Cheeskar nok!” The Toydarian barked only for Obi-wan to look as unimpressed as he felt. So far all of Watto’s insults had done little to rile Obi-wan but it had been hours and the Jedi could feel himself becoming agitated. He did not want to spend a week on Tatooine harassing his Padawan’s ex-slave owner. Sadly, it appeared as though he was going to get nowhere today. The Toydarian was too angry to listen to anything he had to say._

_“Until tomorrow, Watto.” Obi-wan coolly replied and swept the small pile of wupiupi coins that he had tried to bribe Watto with back in to his hip pouch. The Jedi saw how Watto stared at the coins as they disappeared so perhaps there would be hope for tomorrow. There was no hiding that the Toydarian was a greedy creature. Mos Eisley was full of people like him. Nothing was safe or sacred in this place._

_That was why Obi-wan was not surprised when he felt two men following him as he made his way back to the outskirts where he had left his ship. The twin sons of Tatooine were sinking lower as Obi-wan threaded himself through the dusty back alleys and side streets to get to the correct side of Mos Eisley. He could feel their maliciousness directed at him through the Force. These men were looking for a reason to be violent and a lone man stumbling through unfamiliar streets was an easy choice. Obi-wan could feel the moment that they made came to a decision by the way that the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He had just turned around a corner in to a dead end when he felt the men rush him._

_Obi-wan pressed his back against the rough sandstone of the wall behind him as the men bore down on him. A tilt of his head allowed for one of the men’s fist to crunch sickeningly against the rock behind him possibly breaking bone. Obi-wan barely had enough time to sink his knee in to the first man’s abdomen to send him sprawling before the second man was on him. A punch barely clipped Obi-wan’s chin and he teetered back on his heels to avoid a second swipe. It was in the dying light that Obi-wan caught the glimmer of brass knuckles on the man’s hand as the man staggered back as Obi-wan landed a solid blow to his torso.  Obi-wan danced back half a step and settled himself in to a ready position as he lifted his hands._

_The Force blared a warning and Obi-wan suddenly twisted his body a split second before a knife pierced the air where his lower back had once been. Obi-wan’s fingers found the wrist of the hand that held the knife and twisted before he drew the arm up and over his shoulder as he turned body against the mugger’s. All at once he felt the mugger’s feet slip free of the dirt as the Jedi expertly threw the mugger and disarmed him all in the same breath._

_The crackle of a blaster suddenly broke  through the air of the alley and Obi-wan could feel the kiss of superheated air brush against his cheek. The mugger to his left, the second one that had attack him and not the one that he had just thrown, swayed where he stood. Obi-wan stared at him as his knees gave out and he sank to the ground but not before his unspent blaster tumbled through his fingers. “Show me your hands!” A man’s voice barked behind him and Obi-wan could feel a grimace twist his features before the Jedi slowly lifted his hands as he sank to a knee. Obi-wan was completely confident that he was going to be able to protect himself but he could not draw his lightsaber. The antagonism between the Hutts and the Republic was tangible and that stretched over to the Jedi themselves. The Hutts did not like the Jedi on their planets and barely tolerated them even at the best of times.  He cast a look over his shoulder to see a man standing there with his blaster rifle at the ready._

_“I was only protecting mys-“_

_“I said get your hands up, filth!” The man snarled as he took a step forward but Obi-wan took some measure of relief as he realized that the blaster rifle was not aimed at him but at his other attacker who now had mirrored Obi-wan. Another few steps brought the Jedi’s savor closer to him. “You alright there, stranger?”_

_“I am.” Obi-wan said as he stood pressed the back of his hand against the tip of his chin which had begun to burn. He pulled away and saw a smidge of blood upon his skin before he reapplied the pressure._

_“Come on, follow me.” The man said as he slowly crept back out of the mouth of the alley. Obi-wan did not hesitate and slipped after the man as if he were his shadow. The Jedi did not sense any maliciousness from the man and they did not stop until they were several streets away._

_“To whom do I owe my thanks?” Obi-wan said as they stopped beneath the arch way of a produce peddler’s stall. The old woman was packing up for the day and so didn’t pay them much mind as they talked._

_“Lars. Cliegg Lars.” The older man said as he extended his calloused hand to Obi-wan to shake. The older man was hardly out of his forties but seemed at ease on the desert planet if his clothes and weather beaten skin had anything to say. Anakin had once possessed the same weathered look though it was steadily disappearing the longer he stayed away from Tatooine._

_“Obi-wan Kenobi.” The Jedi Knight smoothly replied as he took the extended hand and shook the offered appendage. He could feel just how strong the man’s hands were and how calloused they were. If worse had come to worse than the Jedi was sure that the man before him would not have gone down without a fight. “Thank you for your help.”_

_“I have a feeling that you had everything under control but no problem. My Misses would have made me sleep outside if I had passed and not done anything.” Lars said as he smiled thus showing all of his teeth. Obi-wan could not help but smile himself before he felt a small nudge at his elbow. The old woman who had been packing up her stand held a medical cleaning cloth out to him._

_“For you, dear. You’re getting blood all over yourself.” The old woman noted as she saw Obi-wan’s confusion. The small cut had been forgotten about in their hurry but it had not gone anywhere. Looking down revealed to Obi-wan that he had already had dripped blood across the front of his cream tunic._

_“Oh, thank you.” Obi-wan replied quickly and took the cloth before pressing it against his chin. Lars’ smile deepened as he heard Obi-wan’s hiss of discomfort as the astringent in the rag made the burn of the cut all that much worse._

_“Where are you headed to, Kenobi?”_

_“My ship. I parked it on the edge of the outskirts but I supposed its too late to make that distance now. I had anticipated heading back before now but my errand took longer than I thought.” Obi-wan sighed softly as he looked at the cleaning cloth before placing it back against his chin a second or two later._

_“Well, I was hoping if you’d might be interested in joining me and my family for dinner. You can spend the night. We have a guest room for you to stay in. The hostels around here will either rob you blind or slit your throat, one of the two.” Lars said so matter of fact that Obi-wan had to look at the old woman for reassurance. When she nodded Obi-wan could only frown at the truth of his predicament. “And considering I just saved your life…”_

_Obi-wan felt himself smiling again, “Showing me off to the Misses?” The Jedi asked only for Lars to belly laugh upon being caught red handed. “I can find no reason to turn you down, Cliegg.” Obi-wan said as he raised his free hand in defeat. “I have to come back in the morning, however.”_

_“That’s fine. I have a delivery to make tomorrow so it works well for me.” The moisture farmer noted before the two men bid their goodbyes to Jira, the old woman, and made their way to Lars’ landspeeder. The sky was turning colors as they neared the Lars homestead. Lars pointed out the lights that marked out the property lines and the moisture vaporators that dotted the landscape. “Home sweet home.” Lars grunted after he had turned off the engine upon pulling up close to the front door and heaved his girth out of the seat. There was a note of satisfaction as he surveyed his home and Obi-wan knew that the man was proud of his little slice of Tatooine. “We have a guest.!” Lars shouted as he approached the door before he stopped and picked up what Obi-wan could only guess was a practice rifle. “Owen! What did I tell you about leaving your stuff outside.” He suddenly barked before turning to Obi-wan. “M’boy. He’s almost ten and thinks I am an overbearing bantha.”_

_“I see.” Obi-wan remarked with a soft smile. It turned out that Owen was only a little older that Anakin and Obi-wan could only wonder what kind of grey hair and grief Anakin would give him when he was older. The boy in question quickly appeared through the doorway and tried his best to appear shamefaced upon seeing Obi-wan standing there with his father._

_“Sorry, Pop.” Owen muttered as he took his practice rifle from his father. “Who did you bring?”_

_“You’ll be able to ask him all the questions you want but go tell Ma’  to set another plate for dinner and wash up.” Lars ordered and almost had to physically turn his son around, pushing him towards the door. “I’ll warn ya’, he’ll bust your chops with questions.”_

_“It’s quite alright.” Obi-wan noted with a gentle smile as he looked over the small homestead. It was quite quaint. It was made of the same sandstone as the desert around it and he could tell that Cliegg had spent years making it a home. The air was getting cooler as the suns set and so Lars showed Obi-wan to the front door. “Something smells good.”_

_“That would be my roast in the oven,” A thin woman spoke from the common area as she picked up several cups from the low table that had been sitting there before pulling a shirt off of the back of the sofa. She had obviously not been expecting guests and was doing a quick clean. “Who have you brought home, Cliegg?”_

_“My name is Obi-wan Kenobi. Your husband was very kind to invite me.” The Jedi said as he bowed his head gently in greeting. “I was fortunate that he happened me in the middle of a mugging. He invited me to spend the night upon realizing the late hour.”_

_“Cliegg is a good man.” She smiled though it deepened upon looking at him. “But we’re not quite married.” Lars coughed lightly as she spoke the words and Obi-wan felt his cheeks go red ever so slightly at the faux pas. “What would the two of you like to drink?”_

_“Blue milk,” Cliegg remarked only for Obi-wan to nod in agreement before turning to Lars as soon as she had gone back in to the kitchen. “Sorry about that.” The older man muttered with a lopsided smirk._

_“I shouldn’t have assumed.” Obi-wan weakly chuckled as he rubbed the thick cord of muscle at the juncture of his shoulder as they walked towards the dining area. “You have a very nice home.”_

_“I try.” Cliegg noted and visibly puffed up as he looked around. Owen came out with the roast and set it in the middle of the table before going back in to the kitchen. He returned just as quickly with two glasses of blue milk for both Cliegg and Obi-wan as they sat down. “Oh, forgive me. I forgot to introduce my family. You know Owen,” Lars said as Obi-wan took a quick drink from his glass. “And this lovely lady is Shmi.”_

_Obi-wan promptly started choking as he half swallowed-half inhaled his drink._

_~~~_

Hands grabbed at him, pulled at him, and Obi-wan allowed his eyes to focus upon the faces that filled his narrow vision. “Master…hold on…we’ve got you. You’re safe now…”

_Safe…They were safe now…_

            A soft hand stroked his blood streaked hair out of his face and brought him back to some measure of awareness as he drifted between along the edge of unconsciousness. ‘ _I know you…’_ Obi-wan thought as he stared up in to light hazel eyes. The darkness of the room could not hide the tears that poured down his friend’s face as she tended to him. ‘ _Don’t cry for me…I am not worth your tears.’_ Obi-wan’s thoughts slowly slipped between his fingers as he watched as Padme began tearing at her shirt and ripping it in to strips. Things were happening too quickly for him. His time felt slowed down, distant., lethargic even. “It’s…too…late.”

            “Don’t speak like that!” Anakin snapped at him and Obi-wan felt his Padawan’s rising distress. “I won’t let you die…” His Padawan’s hands pressed down on his chest where a wound oozed blood through the bandages. It seemed as if his blood smeared everything. It soaked Anakin’s hands as the boy tried to stop his bleeding. It was futile.

            ‘ _Oh, my young Padawan…’_ Obi-wan whispered to himself mentally. There was nothing Anakin could do to stop this. Obi-wan knew that he had lost too much blood and received too many wounds. The damage was too great. His body was shutting down. There was no coming back from this. ‘ _I am failing you…again…’_ Obi-wan felt his face twist in a grimace as he drew in a pained breath as they quickly wrapped the makeshift bandages around him. “An-ana-kin…” Obi-wan muttered.

            It was getting hard to breathe.

~~~~

            _Cliegg was quick to pound on Obi-wan’s back as he coughed and sputtered. The Jedi squeezed his eyes shut against the involuntary jerks and the blows but the moisture farmer’s blows seemingly helped Obi-wan correct himself. “You alright there?” Cliegg asked as he gave Obi-wan one last blow to the Jedi’s back between his shoulder blades._

_“Shmi…Shmi Skywalker.” Obi-wan grasped between the last remaining coughs that plagued him. All of the color rushed out of Shmi’s face._

_“Who are you?” Cliegg asked sternly only for Obi-wan to hold up his hands in peace._

_“I am not here to cause trouble. Shmi is actually the reason why I am on Tatooine. I am Obi-wan Kenobi, a Knight with the Jedi Order.”_

_“What has happened with my son? Is he alright?” Shmi suddenly demanded as her motherly instincts overrode whatever nervousness or hesitation she had. Obi-wan smiled before he could stop himself._

_“He is fine.” Obi-wan said softly and he could visibly see Shmi take a breath of relief. “Anakin is absolutely fine. He is a very bright young man. He is advancing rapidly through his training.” Obi-wan explained as he nursed the glass of blue milk between his hands._

_“Master Jinn must be very proud.” Shmi noted with a smile though it evaporated as Obi-wan felt his face contort slightly and his eyes lower. “Obi-wan…what happened to Master Jinn?”_

_“My Master passed shortly after we left Tatooine. We were in the middle of a dangerous mission when we landed here.” Obi-wan explained slowly. He could feel the ache of his Master’s passing welling up in his chest. His grief still bubbled up close to the surface and it showed as he struggled to string the words together. Obi-wan could not stop a bit of a smirk from sliding across his features as he looked in to his cup. “Anakin was actually instrumental in our mission’s eventual success and saved many lives but we lost Master Qui-gon during the conflict.”_

_To think…the little boy he had so venomously been opposed to coming with them ended up saving so many lives. Surely the mission would have succeeded but at a much higher cost._

_“I am…so sorry.” Shmi noted softly as they all gradually began to take a seat at the dinner table. “Your Master was a good man. He provided a life for Anakin that he could never get here.” Obi-wan nodded his head in acknowledgement. He didn’t need to be told twice about how good or wise his Master was. Certainly Qui-gon had his own faults and problems but Obi-wan would have given everything in the world to have five more minutes with his Master. “What is gong to happen with Anakin? Qui-gon said that he would train him.”_

_“That torch has been passed to me.” Obi-wan said as Shmi loaded a piece of roast and several spoonful’s of roasted vegetables on to his plate which he accepted though he had no appetite. “He still has a few more years of basic learning before he is ready to advance to the next level but there is time.”_

_“So if Anakin is okay and doing well…why are you here? What business do you have with Shmi?...Ow!!” Owen blurted out only for Cliegg to pinch his son sharply on his arm. The older man had been listening attentively but had allowed Shmi and Obi-wan to have their moment. “You were thinking it, Pop!”_

_“You need to learn to listen more with your ears and use what is between them,” Cliegg explained sharply before he turned to his plate. The question had been said and could not be ignored._

_“The boy is right to question why I am here.” Obi-wan said as he pushed a piece of potato around the plate. “I came here because of Anakin. Although he is doing incredibly well, I am afraid he has been…distracted as of late….to a point where it has come to the attention of his tutors and others. Because he started his training so late there are some things that he has had a hard time dealing with compared to his peers.”_

_“Such as?” Cliegg pressed._

_“Relationships…” Obi-wan said softly, “Attachments, rather.”_

_“I don’t understand.” Shmi said softly. All eyes were affixed upon Obi-wan and he could feel their stares. “What does that mean for Anakin?”_

_Obi-wan could feel himself frowning as he rubbed a hand through his clipped hair. He would have to choose his words very carefully. “Anakin is struggling with the separation between you and him. Typically the Jedi Order does not take on initiates past the age of three because that is when long-term familial attachments begin to form. Taking them away after that point can be a traumatic experience, both mentally and emotionally, for all parties involved.” Obi-wan could see Shmi’s eyes begin to mist as he spoke. “I am here for Anakin.”_

_“Obi-wan…I can’t.” Shmi said softly._

_“I am prepared to pay whatever I have to for your freedom, Shmi.” Obi-wan said as he turned his eyes to Cliegg_

_“She is not for sale.” Cliegg said flatly as he refused to look at Obi-wan. The man shoved a piece of roast in to his mouth. Obi-wan went to open his mouth again before he was cut off. “Shmi, tell him.”_

_“Obi-wan…it is not that I cannot go with you.” Shmi said softly and as she spoke Obi-wan saw that Cliegg’s eyes lifted to her own. There was a softness between them and it was cemented as Shmi reached across the table for Cliegg’s hand. Their fingers entertained and Obi-wan felt his stomach drop. His surprise must have been visible across his face because Cliegg smiled sympathetically at him._

_“I freed her six months ago. I love her.”_

_“So you see…Obi-wan…I have a life here. A life of my own.” Shmi said as the first tears from her lashes. “As much as I love my son, I think my presence would be more of a hindrance. I know what you’re trying to do and I thank you for it but you must not tell him. He will think that I have abandoned him. Can you promise me that you won’t tell him?”_

_Obi-wan felt himself draw in a shaky breath as the world around him spun. “I understand.”_

 ~~~~~

            “Master, keep your eyes open. You can’t leave me.” Anakin begged as Obi-wan felt his eyes flutter weakly. “You can’t…” His Padawan’s voice was thick with emotion as Obi-wan’s eyes weakly held his. “Not like this..”

            _I don’t have much of a choice, Padawan._

            “Y-ou…must be…st-strong, Ana-kin.” Obi-wan whispered beneath his breath. His Padawan choked at the words.

            “You’ll make it, Obi-wan. Everything is going to be okay. We’re not saying goodbyes. Not here, not now.” Padme demanded and Obi-wan felt such a strong faith behind her words. If only he could be as sure as she was. Obi-wan’s slowly lifted his bloodied hand and caught one of her tears upon his fingertip as it trailed down the side of her jaw. He could feel the hotness of the tear upon his skin as his thumb reached to chase another one away. His touch left a smear of blood against her skin.

            “I w-wish…I had your con-fidence…” Obi-wan said slowly as he felt his breathing becoming that much more of a chore. His eyes were growing heavy.

            “You are going to make it Obi-wan, I promise…and when you are done healing, you’re going to come back to Naboo with me. I am going to show you such beautiful things. You never got to see the Gallo Mountains and…and…I need to show you the Rainbow Falls…” Padme said as she took his hand within her own and pressed the back of his hand against her cheek. “And…there are these crystal caves that I want to show you…”

             Padme’s skin felt so warm against his cold flesh. ‘ _Like sunshine…’_ Obi-wan realized slowly as he listened to her attempt to somehow tempt him to hold on. She was trying to keep him awake, to keep him talking, to perhaps give the medics time to get to them. There was no way to know how far behind help was compared to his Padawan. His Padawan had never been one to obey the posted speed limits. That thought brought a sad smile to Obi-wan’s face as he began to realize some things that made his Padawan special. So headstrong…both Padme and Anakin both were, in all actuality.

            By star dust…he sure was going to miss her. He was going to miss her laugh and the way that her nose crinkled up slightly when she realized that she had been caught in a trap when playing chess. Obi-wan knew he was going to miss the way that her face brightened and her eyes flashed with excitement when she had done something particularly clever. He was going to miss her quick humor and her ability to look straight through him. He had never forgotten just how impressed he had been with her than he had been on Tatooine. Little did he realize or had known at the time just how special she really was.

           The pain was so distant now. He could feel himself falling back in to himself as the world began to pull away from him. It was like watching a movie from another person’s perspective. Everything was becoming so distant. ‘ _I’m not ready…’_ Padme’s panicked face filled his vision as she touched his cheek. He couldn’t feel her touch. He felt so cold as his vision darkened.

           ‘ _I don’t want to go.’_


End file.
